Secretary Pompeo Holds a Press Availability at the United Nations
Transcript
Good afternoon, everyone. Just a few minutes ago, I delivered letters to both the U. N secretary general terrorism to the president of the Security Council. Notify them that the United States is initiating the restoration of virtually all U. N. Sanctions on Iran lifted under U. N. Security Council Resolution 22 31. This process will lead to those sanctions coming back into effect 30 days from today. Our message is very, very simple. United States will never allow the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism to freely buy and sell planes, tanks, missiles and other kinds of conventional weapons. These U. N sanctions will continue the arms embargo Police to say, too, that these restored sanctions will also re impose accountability for other forms of Iranian malign activity that the authors of the nuclear deal foolishly downplayed. Iran will again be prohibited from ballistic missile testing. Iran will be back under sanctions for ongoing nuclear activities such as the enrichment of nuclear material that could be applied to a nuclear weapons program. This is happening, of course, at a moment when Iran is refusing to allow the IAEA to inspect sites suspected of undeclared nuclear activity that were formerly part of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. President Trump in this administration have discarded the fiction that the regime merrily seeks a peaceful nuclear program. We will never allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Our actions today to should come as no surprise to anyone. Our team has made every diplomatic effort over now almost two years to renew this arms embargo. I want to thank the Dominican Republic for standing with us in this effort. Our friends in Germany, France and the United Kingdom the E three all told me privately that they don’t want the arms embargo lifted either. And yet today, in the end, they provided no alternatives, no options, no country. But the United States has had the courage and conviction to put forward a resolution. Instead, they chose, decide with Ayatollahs their actions endanger the people of Iraq of Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and, indeed their own citizens as well. In stark contrast, the Gulf Cooperation Council nations deserve praise for showing courage and unity and warning about the danger from Iran. Two weeks ago, Boron, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United remembers sent a letter to the Security Council urging a renewal of the arms embargo before it expired in October. As Iran’s neighbors, they know better than anyone else the havoc that Iran could create. With these weapons. Look, the world and especially our European friends on the Security Council should have heeded their words. America won’t join in this failure of leadership. America will not appease America will lead. The leadership begins with recognising the Islamic Republic of Iran for what it truly is. A theocratic, revolutionary, brutish regime that will not voluntarily seek peace or make life better for the Iranian people. The one sided, foolish nuclear deal didn’t bring security for America. It didn’t bring stability to the Middle East, nor did it moderate the regime’s behavior, and it never can. It never will. Today’s actions puts additional pressure on Iran to behave like a normal country and to come back to the bargaining table. We call on the international community to join us in crafting a stronger deal that addresses the full range of Iran’s malign behavior and protects people of all nations that simply want to live free from Iranian predation. Thank you. Happy to take a few questions. Thank you. Mr Secretary Michelle Nichols from Reuters. Aziz just mentioned this process could take up to 30 days unless someone puts a resolution forward beforehand to extend the sanctions relief on Iran. Has the United States asked the Dominican Republic to do this? So you convey toe that? Or are you considering putting forward that resolution yourself to veto and on Europe? The your European colleagues have just put out a statement saying they can’t support this move. Russia has said this is non existent. What’s your message to Russia, China and other countries who may not reimpose U. N sanctions on Iran after 30 days? Well, as for the process, we’re confident that a resolution will be introduced. It’s required under City Council resolution 22 31 we spoke with the president of the Council about that today. We’re confident that that will happen. Uh, as for decisions that other nations make their sovereign countries, they get to make their own choices. But make no mistake about it. It is an enormous mistake not to extend this arms embargo. It’s nuts, right? And I haven’t heard privately from any country that thinks it’s wise except for perhaps from Iran. Everyone understands that this country, since 1985 alone, the rainy regime was conducted terrorist operations across Europe. It’s hijacked commercial jets bombing murdered, innocent Europeans conducted assassinations of dissidents in your plots to blow up juice synagogues. This is all in Europe by the Iranians. Doesn’t make any sense for them to have more weapons that we should not forget that just this year they took down a commercial airliner. This is a nation that is capable of or trustworthy to be able to buy and sell weapons systems. And so I just urged the whole world to unite way have every capacity under 20 to 31 to do this. Onda, we’ll continue this effort. We’re gonna make sure that this arms embargo doesn’t come back in place. You’re expecting intonation to put forward that resolution to extend the resolutions going to come forward. Thank you, David. Waiting from Bloomberg State. What came here? I can barely hear you. If you could speak up just a bit. Can you? Sorry. It’s the masculine. Yes. If China and Russia begin to sell weapons to Iran when the arms embargo expires, what action specifically can the United States take to stop them. Thank you way. Never get out in front of a decision the president may or may not make. But you just need look no further than the history of the last 2.5 years when U. S sanctions were violated. We enforced them. When u N sanctions have violated, we’re going to do everything we can to enforce them as well. High value Rebecca from ANSA news agency, Mr. Secretary of State. When, like diplomats and others from some countries say that the process off the snapback is difficult and is difficult Teoh toe happen. What? What does that mean? They mean because, like the U. S. Are not in the in the deal anymore. So do you think they we agree with that? Of course not. But why? Yeah, So you you need You need to be a little more precise, and you should ask them to be a little more precise when you say they’re not in the deal anymore. What do you mean? Well, the US, like we drove from the nuclear deal in 2018. Yes, yes, that’s that’s the position of the country saying, you know, But I know that you use so so this this much. This much is accurate. President May of 2018 made a decision that we were no longer comply with the political commitments attached to the JCP. Away go read paragraphs through 12 of the 20 to 31. They’re completely separate. We provided no notice to the U. N when we withdrew because it wouldn’t have made any sense to provide notice. 20 to 31 is completely independent. Indeed. I thought it be worthy to take just a moment to read you what The State Department, United States State Department told me when I was a member of Congress back in 2015 I asked this very question. I knew I’d be here five years from now. I’m kidding. Uh, here’s what they told me when I asked this very question five years ago. They knew this day would come. Here’s what they said. This is written. This is signed by the assistant secretary of legislative affairs that the State Department dated on November 19th of 2015 that said everything. This is that the Obama Kerry Biden State Department, they said the following. They said everything in the J, C o J C P Away and its annexes our commitments Iran made and must keep to remain in compliance. If Iran breaks these commitments, the United States concern AP BAC both unilateral and you and sanctions that this looked at just it’s important to emphasize this 20 to 31 gave everyone of the participant states the right to execute snapback unconditionally. There are other nations that air not in compliance with the JCP away today as well. They would have the right to conduct snapback as well. It is, it’s written, it’s playing. It’s very straightforward. I know the Russians and the Chinese will try and obvious gate. They use their disinformation tactics, but just read the plain text of the document It. It’s not the case that a political agreement arranged by a group of parties, including the United States, can undo the amazing work of the U. N. Security Council. No resolution could be altered unilaterally by any country, not by Iran, up a Russian up China nor by the United States Security Council resolutions can only be changed by subsequent Security Council resolutions. And so we think this is really straightforward. We think this is very simple. These U. N. Security Council resolutions will come back into place 31 days from now, and the United States will vigorously enforce them. Really, this is Secretary. Is there anything that would make you to change your mind to actually withdraw the request? And what do you think off the Russia’s proposal for summit convened and to actually avoid a confrontation? Thank you. So there’s no confrontation here, so there’s no need to avoid any confrontation. This is straight forward. We stand here at the United Nations. The U. N Security Council’s withstood lots of difficult times. This is easy. The Security Council resolutions. Very plain, very simple, very straightforward. We know precisely how it will proceed, and so there’s. It’s not a matter for anger or frustration. It’s just will follow the rules of the U. N. Security Council, and that will lead to the sanctions being were imposed 31 days from now. As for things that would cause us to change our mind, if we could get to a place where we got a full on agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran to behave like a normal nation and live up to the commitments we’ve asked for. We have been prepared to have that conversation for a long time. Were we able to achieve that, we would consider withdrawing this site. I think it’s unlikely in the 31 days between here and there, but as a diplomatic always live in hope. Let’s do that little bit. Thank you, Mr Secretary. Do you think you will have a different support from what you had last week when when your draft resolution was voted on in the council, did any other members in the council promise to support your process? And you mentioned your European partners? Maybe they say privately. Ah, different. Thank you. Thank you. Probably think things for doing this America. We appreciate it. Yes, that’s what they think. What’s your question? Do you expect different support from the council members? Yes, Way suspect way. Expect every U. N. Member to comply with their obligations under the Security Council resolution we have. I have every confidence that when these sanctions snapback that every nation will execute them. That that’s your obligation is a member of the United Nations to do that. And we have every expectation that every security council member will do that. This gentleman, thank you very much. That is this a secretary of state. Can you walk us? It’s just less than two months from the 18th of Sober. Can you walk us through the timeline where you think the sanctions will be restored on Iran before October 18th? And if on the 19th of October you found that companies and banks from Russia and China are dealing with Iran, regardless, are you willing to sanction them? So the answer, The second question is we’ve been consistent throughout this entire process. Once President made the decision back in May of 2018 we put us sanctions in place. We’ve done our level best to enforce them. We’ve been pretty effective. I remember some of the commentary, maybe from some of you that said U. S sanctions alone won’t be successful. I would argue that today Hezbollah is much worse place that the militias inside of Iraq that air run and controlled by the Iranians have fewer dollars that Iran has less capacity in Syria today, all because of the U. S. Sanctions and our enforcement efforts. So I think we’ve been enormously successful. We will continue to enforce the sanctions after after these U N Security Council resolutions come back in place, we’ve done it already. We’ve already gone after entities that violated the Iranian sanctions regime. Doesn’t the country is in material? If they’re in violation of the sanctions, will do our level best to enforce them. It’s our It will become our obligation as a member of the U. N. In the same way, it’s been our obligation to enforce U and U. S sanctions alone. It will come back within the next 31 days. Take one more. Thank you. So my question to you I just want first to clarify something. You say it about the fact that you I only drove out of the JCP or if politically, can you explain that, please? And also isn’t your own sanctions that you imposed on Iran after a 2018 May 2018? Don’t they go against the Security Council resolution 2231? Because thank you. So So the agreement that the nuclear deal, the joint comprehensive plan of action the JCP away is wasn’t a treaty wasn’t ratified by the United States Senator, the legislatures of other nations was just a political agreement made amongst the leaders. The commitments that each entered into were mutual. The Iranians were not in compliance with the political commitments that they made today on, You know, President Rouhani says that the E three is not in compliance, either. Says that they haven’t lived up says that the Germans, the French and the United Kingdom hasn’t lived up to their commitments under the JCP Away as well. They may well be in non compliance, I suppose. Those air set of political groups. Those are far and separate and apart from U. N. Security Council Resolution 22 31 Resolution 2020 to 31. Very plain, it says. This set of states has the right to execute snapback. There’s not conditioned on any other activity. It doesn’t require compliance. It just says these countries can execute snapback. It’s very plain is very simple, does, by the way, the U. N is really good at drafting documents when they want to condition them. If it wanted to say you may execute snapback if and only if and place the condition, it knows full well how to do that. It didn’t choose to do it. It didn’t do it for a reason. It didn’t do it for a reason. It wanted to make plain that any nation that found that Iran was not in compliance would have the capacity to do precisely what it is the United States did today. That’s what that’s what we did. We follow the rules of U. N. Security Council resolution 22 31 we have every expectation that the Security Council will do its part as well. Thank you all very much for being with me. Have a good day.