“When they’re [Iran] prepared to come to the table and talk…, so are we. We’re standing by. We’re not anxious. We’re not rushed. The pressure campaign continues. It’s not just an economic pressure campaign, it’s diplomatic pressure, it’s isolation through diplomacy as well. And you’ve seen the work that we’ve done to make sure that we have the resources in place to deter their attacks further.”

– Secretary Pompeo, Remarks, February 19, 2020

PRESS STATEMENT BY SECRETARY POMPEO: U.S. COMMENDS FATF FOR RE-IMPOSITION OF COUNTERMEASURES ON IRAN ON FEBRUARY 21, 2020:

The United States commends the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s February 21st call for all jurisdictions to swiftly enact effective countermeasures to protect the international financial system from the terrorist financing threats emanating from Iran. The regime must face consequences for its continued failure to abide by international norms, in particular its inaction in ratifying the Palermo and Terrorist Financing Conventions.

Since Iran’s FATF action plan expired in 2018, Iran has failed to fulfill its commitments to adhere to the FATF’s anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism standards, including ratifying the UN Palermo and Terrorist Financing Conventions. The regime needs to adhere to the basic standards that virtually every other country in the world agrees to. Iran must cease its reckless behavior and act like a normal nation if it wants its isolation to end.

For more information please see Statement.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM REMARKS BY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN HOOK AT A STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ON FEBRUARY 20, 2020:

“Today, the Trump administration is taking action to hold the Iranian regime accountable. I am announcing that the United States is sanctioning five senior regime officials under Executive Order 13876. The five officials being designated today have denied the Iranian people free and fair parliamentary elections. This includes Ahmad Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardian Council, as well as Mohammad Yazdi, a senior member of the council and former head of Iran’s brutal judiciary. We are sanctioning three other officials who serve on the Guardian Council Central Committee for Election Supervision.”

“The Iranian people know that tomorrow’s election is political theater. It is a republic in name only when the government disqualifies half of the candidates running for office. Millions of Iranians have decided to stay home. They know they don’t have a genuine say in the process. They are asking for a free and fair process where they can share their views openly without the fear of being marginalized or massacred.”

“The United States will continue to expose Iranian officials who use their authority to abuse the rights of the Iranian people and deny them their basic freedoms. This regime should respect the aspirations of its people for a representative government and give them a real choice at the ballot box. It is worth noting that while the Iranian regime increases its repression at home, it is continuing to spend the Iranian people’s money on conflicts abroad. Instead of cutting gas subsidies to Iranians, maybe the regime should cut missile subsidies to the Houthis.”

“The United States will continue to stand with our partners in the region to counter Iran’s malign activity. This includes with Saudi Arabia, which is on the frontlines of Iran’s proxy war in Yemen.”

“As we work closely with our partners in the region, we are also working with our allies around the world to counter Iranian arms shipments and missile proliferation. The international community should apply more pressure on Iran until it stops providing arms, training, and funding to proxy groups in the gray zone. This includes by acting to extend the UN arms embargo on Iran, which, under the Iran deal, expires in October.”

For more information or to watch the full briefing, click on the link.

NOTABLE TWEETS:

@SecPompeo February 20

Why did @khamenei_ir deny 7,000+ Iranians the right to run in tomorrow’s election? Because he fears one free election more than anything else. Today, the U.S. sanctioned those responsible for denying Iranians the right to free and fair elections.

@statedeptspox February 20

#Iran’s Guardian Council deprives the Iranian people of free and fair elections. Clerics like Ahmad Jannati denied 7,000+ Iranians the right to run for office in tomorrow’s election. Today, the U.S. designated Jannati and four other officials who oversee Iran’s sham elections.

@statedeptspox February 15

Russia, #China, and #Iran threaten the sovereignty of free nations. Assaults on sovereignty destabilize. Assaults on sovereignty impoverish. Assaults on sovereignty enslave. Assaults on sovereignty are assaults on #freedom. #TheWestIsWinning

@SecPompeo February 14

The U.S. Navy interdicted 358 Iranian-made missiles + other weapons components on their way to the Houthis in Yemen. This is another example of the world’s largest state sponsor of terror the Islamic Republic of Iran continuing to defy the UN Security Council.

@SecPompeo February 14

The world must reject Iran’s violence and act now to renew the expiring @UN arms embargo on #Iran.

@statedeptspox February 13

The U.S. condemns the sentencing of Abdolrasoul Mortazavi, Hashem Khastar, Mohammad Nourizad, Mohammad and Fatemeh Sepehri, and three others for up to 26 years in prison for demanding political change. We call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in #Iran.

@SecPompeo February 12

It is past time for #Iran to live up to its commitment to play by the global rules to combat money laundering and terror financing. Iran must ratify the #PalermoConvention and Terrorist Financing Convention now.

@statedeptspox February 11

Sunday’s failed Iranian space launch is just another in a series of failures by the regime. The Iranian people are tired of the regime’s colossal waste of money prioritizing adventurism rather than providing for the needs of the Iranian people at home.

@statedeptspox February 7

We condemn the Iranian regime for harshly re-sentencing Mojgan Keshavarz, Yasaman Aryani, and Monireh Arabshahi to another decade in the notorious Qarchak Prison for defying mandatory hijab laws. Nobody should be forced to wear – or not wear – religious attire. #ReligiousFreedom

@statedeptspox February 4

Following their February 3 mortar attack, we once again condemn the Assad regime, Russia, Iran, and Hizballah’s barbaric assaults on the people of Idlib. These attacks must cease, humanitarian access must be granted, and peace must be restored in line with UNSCR 2254.

@SecPompeo February 4

The U.S. stands by our @NATO Ally #Turkey in the aftermath of the mortar attack by Assad regime forces on Turkish observation posts. This is a grave escalation. The Assad regime, Russia, Iran, and Hizballah’s ruthless actions are preventing the establishment of a ceasefire.