In Washington, D.C., Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has formed a new group to coordinate Iran policy and negotiate U.S.-Iran relations since Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal. The newly formed “Iran Action Group” will be led by senior policy adviser Brian Hook, who led the administration’s unsuccessful attempt to negotiate changes to the nuclear deal before Trump withdrew in May. The appointment comes as tensions are escalating between the U.S. and Iran after the Trump administration reimposed economic sanctions against Iran last week. Brian Hook spoke Thursday after his appointment as U.S. special representative for Iran.
Brian Hook: “The Iran regime has been a force for instability and violence. Our new strategy addresses all manifestations of the Iranian threat, and the new Iran Action Group will be focused on implementing that strategy.”