Any Iranian attack against the United States or allies will be met with force, the US special representative for Iran Brian Hook said on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The United States does not want war with Iran but will continue putting maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic until it changes its behavior, Bryan Hook told reporters in a phone call. He mentioned Iran’s foreign policy as an area that could be changed, without citing specifics, and claimed that Iran’s reduction of some commitments under its 2015 nuclear deal was against international norms.
Today, a year after the US unlawful withdrawal from the JCPOA on May 8, 2018, in protest to the US move and its previously announced decision to impose new sanctions on Iranian economic sectors, as well as in the face of lack of action by remaining parties to the JCPOA to fulfill their promises, Iran announced that it would stop complying with parts of the JCPOA commitments and warned that it would resume enriching uranium if they do not implement their obligations after 60 days.
The decision to reduce commitments to the JCPOA comes as Washington is ramping up pressure against Iran, by re-imposing new sanctions, including restrictions on Iran's low-level uranium enrichment, and ending the sanctions waivers for Iran’s major oil clients in an attempt to drive the country’s oil exports to zero.
The Trump administration is expected to announce additional sanctions on Iran within the coming week, targeting new sections of the Iranian economy.
Iran has stressed that it has no intention to leave the JCPOA, and its decision on reducing commitments is still within the framework of the agreement.
KI/PR; 4612282