‘We do not seek war’
Pompeo tells Iran, warns of ‘swift’ US response if provoked
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US B-52 bombers reach ME in message to Iran
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Iran's Revolutionary Guards reject talks with US after Trump offer
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday the Trump administration doesn't want war with Iran, but he warned Tehran of a "swift and decisive" US response to any attack.
Iran "has engaged in an escalating series of threatening actions and statements in recent weeks," Pompeo said in a statement, echoing Pentagon and unnamed US officials.
He provided no specifics about the nature or scope of that threat, but other US officials have said that they've observed Iranian forces moving missiles around on boats.
"The regime in Tehran should understand that any attacks by them or their proxies of any identity against US interests or citizens will be answered with a swift and decisive US response," said the top diplomat.
He warned Tehran not to mistake Washington's "restraint" for "a lack of resolve" and closed by repeating an offer from President Donald Trump.
"As President Trump stated yesterday, he 'looks forward to someday meeting with leaders of Iran in order to work out an agreement and, very importantly, taking steps to give Iran the future it deserves,'" Pompeo said.
Pompeo issued his statement after the US sent a Navy strike group and B-52 bombers into the Persian Gulf, citing "specific and credible" threats against US forces. Iranian officials, however, including President Hassan Rouhani, have said they have no interest in a conflict that analysts say the country can ill afford.
Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said yesterday Tehran will not negotiate with the United States and denied any US attack was likely, reported Reuters.
"No talks will be held with the Americans and the Americans will not dare take military action against us," Yadollah Javani, the Guards' deputy head for political affairs, was quoted as saying by Tasnim. "Our nation ... sees America as unreliable."
A US official told CNN that the intelligence community is still trying to assess exactly what is happening and whether it's possible that the Iranians are simply raising tensions against the Americans, but not taking the final step to attack.
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has said Tehran believes some US officials are trying to provoke Iran into a conflict, portraying it as a trap Tehran means to avoid.
Thousands of Iranians took part in state-sponsored marches yesterday to voice support for the government's move on Wednesday to scale back curbs to its nuclear programme under a 2015 deal with world powers, and threatened to do more if signatories did not shield it from US sanctions.