WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced that the U.S. is canceling a 1955 treaty with Iran establishing economic relations and consular rights between the two nations.

The move follows a ruling by the United Nations' highest court ordering the United States to lift sanctions on Iran that affect imports of humanitarian goods.

Iran alleges that the sanctions imposed by the Trump administration after its withdrawal from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran violated the so-called Treaty of Amity.

Pompeo told reporters Wednesday that the termination of the treaty was decades overdue. He said that Iran was abusing the International Court of Justice for political and propaganda purposes.

He said Iran's claims under the treaty were "absurd."

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> This is a breaking story and may be updated...

After the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday ruled the Trump administration's sanctions against Iran violate the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "impetuously" declared at a morning press conference that the United States will terminate the decades-old bilateral agreement rather than comply with the United Nations court's order to ease sanctions.

Critics of the move immediately spoke out and warned of potentially dire consequences.

"The 1955 US-Iran treaty provided a tool for resolving disputes when diplomacy failed," noted Trita Parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC). "Pompeo walking out of it signals that he wants to make sure that disputes with Iran are NOT resolved peacefully."

The ruling earlier in the day by the Hague-based court had stated U.S. assurances that the sanctions would not negatively impact humanitarian aid and aviation safety "were not adequate." The decision was welcomed by Iran's Foreign Ministry, which condemned the measures as "illegal and cruel."

Pompeo's announcement that the U.S. is canceling the 1955 agreement—similar to the President Donald Trump's decision to ditch the Iran nuclear deal earlier this year and coupled with reports that Pompeo and Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton are actively working to "foment unrest" in Iran—elicited immediate concerns about future engagement with the country.

"The drums of war are beating," journalist Aaron Rupar warned on Twitter.

"As you can see, Article 1 on the Treaty—'There shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran'—hasn't aged very well over the years," remarked Foreign Policy reporter Robbie Gramer.

During his announcement at the State Department on Wednesday, Pompeo said with a chuckle, "This is a decision, frankly, that is 39 years overdue," an apparent reference to the 1979 Iranian revolution in which the U.S.-backed Shah was overthrown. </s> US terminates 1955 treaty with Iran after UN court ruling

WASHINGTON (AP) — In response to a U.N. court order that the U.S. lift sanctions on Iran, the Trump administration said Wednesday it was terminating a decades-old treaty affirming friendly relations between the two countries. The largely symbolic gesture highlights deteriorating relations between Washington and Tehran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said withdrawing from the 1955 Treaty of Amity was long overdue and followed Iran "groundlessly" bringing a complaint with the International Court of Justice challenging U.S. sanctions on the basis that they were a violation of the pact.

Meanwhile, national security adviser John Bolton said the administration also was pulling out of an amendment to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that Iran or others, notably the Palestinians, could use to sue the U.S. at The Hague-based tribunal. Bolton told reporters at the White House that the provision violates U.S. sovereignty.

"The United States will not sit idly by as baseless politicized claims are brought against us," Bolton said. He cited a case brought to the court by the "so-called state of Palestine" challenging the move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as the main reason for withdrawing.

Bolton, who last month unleashed a torrent of criticism against the International Criminal Court, noted that previous Republican administrations had pulled out of various international agreements and bodies over "politicized cases." He said the administration would review all accords that might subject the U.S. to prosecution by international courts or panels.

Earlier, Pompeo denounced the Iranian case before the U.N. court as "meritless" and said the Treaty of Amity was meaningless and absurd.

"The Iranians have been ignoring it for an awfully long time, we ought to have pulled out of it decades ago," he told reporters at the State Department.

The little-known treaty with Iran was among numerous such ones signed in the wake of World War II as the Truman and Eisenhower administrations tried to assemble a coalition of nations to counter the Soviet Union. Like many of the treaties, this one was aimed at encouraging closer economic relations and regulating diplomatic and consular ties.

Its first article reads: "There shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran."

The treaty survived the 1979 overthrow of the Shah in Iran's Islamic revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis that crippled American-Iranian relations for decades.

But amid a broader push to assert U.S. sovereignty in the international arena and after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal this year, the administration determined that the court case made the treaty irrelevant.

Pompeo said the ruling was a "useful point for us to demonstrate the absolute absurdity" of the treaty.

The court case is legally binding, but Pompeo said the administration would proceed with sanctions enforcement with existing exceptions for humanitarian and flight safety transactions.

"The United States has been actively engaged on these issues without regard to any proceeding before the ICJ," he said.

At the same time, he criticized the ruling.

"We're disappointed that the court failed to recognize that it has no jurisdiction to issue any order relating to these sanctions measures with the United States."

The ruling said Washington must "remove, by means of its choosing, any impediments arising from" the re-imposition of sanctions to the export to Iran of medicine and medical devices, food and agricultural commodities and spare parts and equipment necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation.

It said the exceptions mentioned by Pompeo "are not adequate to address fully the humanitarian and safety concerns" raised by Iran.

The first set of sanctions that had been eased under the terms of the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration was reimposed in August. A second, more sweeping set of sanctions, is set to be reimposed in early November.

Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, praised the court ruling, saying on Twitter that it was "another failure for sanctions-addicted" U.S. and a "victory for rule of law." He said it was imperative for other countries 'to collectively counter malign US unilateralism" and he accused the U.S. of being an "outlaw regime."

The court said the case will continue and the U.S. can still challenge its jurisdiction but no date has been set for further hearings.

Associated Press writers Susannah George in Washington and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report. </s> WASHINGTON — In response to a U.N. court order that the U.S. lift sanctions on Iran, the Trump administration said Wednesday it was terminating a decades-old treaty affirming friendly relations between the two countries. The move is a largely symbolic gesture that highlights deteriorating relations between Washington and Tehran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said withdrawing from the 1955 Treaty of Amity was long overdue and followed Iran “groundlessly” bringing a complaint with the International Court of Justice challenging U.S. sanctions on the basis that they were a violation of the treaty.

Officials said the administration also will withdraw from an amendment to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that Iran or others, notably the Palestinians, could use to sue the U.S. at The Hague-based tribunal. A White House announcement was expected, and the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t publicly authorized to discuss the development.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the termination of the treaty shortly after what he called the “meritless” court ruling.

“The Iranians have been ignoring it for an awfully long time, we ought to have pulled out of it decades ago,” he told reporters at the State Department.

The little-known treaty with Iran was among numerous such ones signed in the wake of World War II as the Truman and Eisenhower administrations tried to assemble a coalition of nations to counter the Soviet Union. Like many of the treaties, this one was aimed at encouraging closer economic relations and regulating diplomatic and consular ties.

Its first article reads: “There shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran.”

The treaty survived the 1979 overthrow of the Shah in Iran’s Islamic revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis that crippled American-Iranian relations for decades.

But amid a broader push to assert U.S. sovereignty in the international arena and after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal this year, the administration determined that the court case made the treaty irrelevant.

Pompeo said the ruling was a “useful point for us to demonstrate the absolute absurdity” of the treaty.

The court case is legally binding, but Pompeo said the administration would proceed with sanctions enforcement with existing exceptions for humanitarian and flight safety transactions.

“The United States has been actively engaged on these issues without regard to any proceeding before the ICJ,” he said.

At the same time, he criticized the ruling.

“We’re disappointed that the court failed to recognize that it has no jurisdiction to issue any order relating to these sanctions measures with the United States.”

The ruling said Washington must “remove, by means of its choosing, any impediments arising from” the re-imposition of sanctions to the export to Iran of medicine and medical devices, food and agricultural commodities and spare parts and equipment necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation.

It said the exceptions mentioned by Pompeo “are not adequate to address fully the humanitarian and safety concerns” raised by Iran.

The first set of sanctions that had been eased under the terms of the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration was reimposed in August. A second, more sweeping set of sanctions, is set to be reimposed in early November.

Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, praised the court ruling, saying on Twitter that it was “another failure for sanctions-addicted” U.S. and a “victory for rule of law.” He said it was imperative for other countries ‘to collectively counter malign US unilateralism” and he accused the U.S. of being an “outlaw regime.”

The court said the case will continue and the U.S. can still challenge its jurisdiction but no date has been set for further hearings.

Associated Press writers Susannah George, and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report. </s> An Iranian woman shops at a drug store at the Nikan Hospital in Tehran on, September 11 (AFP photo)

THE HAGUE — The World Court ordered the United States on Wednesday to ensure that sanctions against Iran, due to be tightened next month, do not affect humanitarian aid or civil aviation safety.

Judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) handed a victory to Tehran, which had argued that sanctions imposed since May by the administration of US President Donald Trump violate the terms of a 1955 Treaty of Amity between the two countries.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo rejected the decision, saying the court has no jurisdiction and that Washington would terminate the treaty.

However, Pompeo said the United States would work to ensure it is providing humanitarian assistance to the Iranian people.

“I’m announcing that the US is terminating the 1955 Treaty of Amity with Iran. This is a decision, frankly, that is 39 years overdue,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told reporters, referring to the date of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Pompeo said Iran was misusing the court for political purposes and that the United States was actively ensuring that humanitarian aid reaches the country, without regard to the court ruling.

“We’re disappointed that the court failed to recognise that it has no jurisdiction to issue any order relating to these sanctions with the United States, which is doing its work on Iran to protect its own essential security interests,” Pompeo said.

The ruling is likely to have, at most, limited practical impact on the implementation of sanctions, which Washington is reimposing and tightening after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran signed with world powers.

The court order issued on Wednesday is temporary, pending a resolution of Iran’s full lawsuit against Washington by the ICJ, something that could take years.

Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement “the decision proved once again that the Islamic republic is right and the US sanctions against people and citizens of our country are illegal and cruel.

“The United States must comply with its international commitments and lift obstacles to Iranian trade,” it added.

The ICJ is the United Nations’ highest court for resolving disputes between nations. Its rulings are binding, but it has no power to enforce them, and both the United States and Iran have ignored them in the past.

The court said assurances offered by Washington to ensure sanctions do not affect humanitarian conditions were “not adequate”.

“The court considers that the United States must... remove, by means of its choosing, any impediment arising from the measures announced on 8 May 2018,” said Presiding Judge Abdulqawi Yusuf, reading a summary of a ruling by the 15-member panel of justices.

The sanctions may not hurt “exportation to the territory of Iran of goods required for humanitarian needs such as medicines, medical devices and foodstuffs and agricultural commodities as well as goods and services required for the safety of civil aviation”, he said.

While US sanctions “in principle” exempt food and medical supplies, the court said “it has become difficult if not impossible for Iran, Iranian nationals and companies to engage in international financial transactions” to purchase such goods.

The Trump administration argued last month that Iran’s request was an attempt to misuse the court and that the 1955 treaty specifically ruled out using courts to resolve disputes.

The treaty was signed long before Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution which turned the two countries into arch-enemies.

US State Department Legal Adviser Jennifer Newstead had said Iran’s real quarrel was its frustration over the US pullout from the nuclear pact, under which Tehran restricted its disputed uranium enrichment programme under UN monitoring in exchange for a lifting of most international sanctions.

Trump’s unilateral move has put it at odds with the other signatories to the deal, including Washington’s close European allies Britain, France and Germany as well as Russia and China.

Washington nonetheless plans to pursue a new series of sanctions due to go into effect November 4 aimed at curtailing Iranian oil exports, the lifeblood of its economy. </s> WASHINGTON — In response to a U.N. court order that the U.S. lift sanctions on Iran, the Trump administration said Wednesday it was terminating a decades-old treaty affirming friendly relations between the two countries. The move is a largely symbolic gesture that highlights deteriorating relations between Washington and Tehran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said withdrawing from the 1955 Treaty of Amity was long overdue and followed Iran "groundlessly" bringing a complaint with the International Court of Justice challenging U.S. sanctions on the basis that they were a violation of the pact.

Meanwhile, national security adviser John Bolton said the administration also was pulling out of an amendment to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that Iran or others, notably the Palestinians, could use to sue the U.S. at The Hague-based tribunal. Bolton told reporters at the White House that the provision violates U.S. sovereignty.

"The United States will not sit idly by as baseless politicized claims are brought against us," Bolton said. He cited a case brought to the court by the "so-called state of Palestine" challenging the move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as the main reason for withdrawing.

Bolton, who last month unleashed a torrent of criticism against the International Criminal Court, noted that previous Republican administrations had pulled out of various international agreements and bodies over "politicized cases." He said the administration would review all accords that might subject the U.S. to prosecution by international courts or panels.

Earlier, Pompeo denounced the Iranian case before the U.N. court as "meritless" and said the Treaty of Amity was meaningless and absurd.

"The Iranians have been ignoring it for an awfully long time, we ought to have pulled out of it decades ago," he told reporters at the State Department.

The little-known treaty with Iran was among numerous such ones signed in the wake of World War II as the Truman and Eisenhower administrations tried to assemble a coalition of nations to counter the Soviet Union. Like many of the treaties, this one was aimed at encouraging closer economic relations and regulating diplomatic and consular ties.

Its first article reads: "There shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran."

The treaty survived the 1979 overthrow of the Shah in Iran's Islamic revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis that crippled American-Iranian relations for decades.

But amid a broader push to assert U.S. sovereignty in the international arena and after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal this year, the administration determined that the court case made the treaty irrelevant.

Pompeo said the ruling was a "useful point for us to demonstrate the absolute absurdity" of the treaty.

The court case is legally binding, but Pompeo said the administration would proceed with sanctions enforcement with existing exceptions for humanitarian and flight safety transactions.

"The United States has been actively engaged on these issues without regard to any proceeding before the ICJ," he said.

At the same time, he criticized the ruling.

"We're disappointed that the court failed to recognize that it has no jurisdiction to issue any order relating to these sanctions measures with the United States."

The ruling said Washington must "remove, by means of its choosing, any impediments arising from" the re-imposition of sanctions to the export to Iran of medicine and medical devices, food and agricultural commodities and spare parts and equipment necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation.

It said the exceptions mentioned by Pompeo "are not adequate to address fully the humanitarian and safety concerns" raised by Iran.

The first set of sanctions that had been eased under the terms of the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration was reimposed in August. A second, more sweeping set of sanctions, is set to be reimposed in early November.

Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, praised the court ruling, saying on Twitter that it was "another failure for sanctions-addicted" U.S. and a "victory for rule of law." He said it was imperative for other countries 'to collectively counter malign US unilateralism" and he accused the U.S. of being an "outlaw regime."

The court said the case will continue and the U.S. can still challenge its jurisdiction but no date has been set for further hearings.

Associated Press writers Susannah George, and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Washington: In response to a U.N. court order that the U.S. lift sanctions on Iran, the Trump administration said Wednesday it was terminating a decades-old treaty affirming friendly relations between the two countries. The move is a largely symbolic gesture that highlights deteriorating relations between Washington and Tehran.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said withdrawing from the 1955 Treaty of Amity was long overdue and followed Iran "groundlessly" bringing a complaint with the International Court of Justice challenging U.S. sanctions on the basis that they were a violation of the pact.

Meanwhile, national security adviser John Bolton said the administration also was pulling out of an amendment to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that Iran or others, notably the Palestinians, could use to sue the U.S. at The Hague-based tribunal. Bolton told reporters at the White House that the provision violates U.S. sovereignty.

"The United States will not sit idly by as baseless politicized claims are brought against us," Bolton said. He cited a case brought to the court by the "so-called state of Palestine" challenging the move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as the main reason for withdrawing.

Bolton, who last month unleashed a torrent of criticism against the International Criminal Court, noted that previous Republican administrations had pulled out of various international agreements and bodies over "politicized cases." He said the administration would review all accords that might subject the U.S. to prosecution by international courts or panels.

Earlier, Pompeo denounced the Iranian case before the U.N. court as "meritless" and said the Treaty of Amity was meaningless and absurd.

"The Iranians have been ignoring it for an awfully long time, we ought to have pulled out of it decades ago," he told reporters at the State Department.

The little-known treaty with Iran was among numerous such ones signed in the wake of World War II as the Truman and Eisenhower administrations tried to assemble a coalition of nations to counter the Soviet Union. Like many of the treaties, this one was aimed at encouraging closer economic relations and regulating diplomatic and consular ties.

Its first article reads: "There shall be firm and enduring peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and Iran."

The treaty survived the 1979 overthrow of the Shah in Iran's Islamic revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis that crippled American-Iranian relations for decades.

But amid a broader push to assert U.S. sovereignty in the international arena and after pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal this year, the administration determined that the court case made the treaty irrelevant.

Pompeo said the ruling was a "useful point for us to demonstrate the absolute absurdity" of the treaty.

The court case is legally binding, but Pompeo said the administration would proceed with sanctions enforcement with existing exceptions for humanitarian and flight safety transactions.

"The United States has been actively engaged on these issues without regard to any proceeding before the ICJ," he said.

 At the same time, he criticized the ruling.

"We're disappointed that the court failed to recognize that it has no jurisdiction to issue any order relating to these sanctions measures with the United States."

The ruling said Washington must "remove, by means of its choosing, any impediments arising from" the re-imposition of sanctions to the export to Iran of medicine and medical devices, food and agricultural commodities and spare parts and equipment necessary to ensure the safety of civil aviation.

It said the exceptions mentioned by Pompeo "are not adequate to address fully the humanitarian and safety concerns" raised by Iran.

 The first set of sanctions that had been eased under the terms of the nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration was reimposed in August. A second, more sweeping set of sanctions, is set to be reimposed in early November.

Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, praised the court ruling, saying on Twitter that it was "another failure for sanctions-addicted" U.S. and a "victory for rule of law." He said it was imperative for other countries 'to collectively counter malign US unilateralism" and he accused the U.S. of being an "outlaw regime."

The court said the case will continue and the U.S. can still challenge its jurisdiction but no date has been set for further hearings. </s> In his first major speech as U.S. secretary of state, Mike Pompeo threatened Iran with the ‘strongest sanctions in history’ and vowed to “crush” the regime’s proxies around the world.



“We will apply unprecedented financial pressure on the Iranian regime. The leaders in Tehran will have no doubt about our seriousness,” Pompeo said on Monday

He demanded Iran withdraw its forces from Syria and end its support for Hezbollah and Hamas adding that the U.S. would be prepared to re-establish relations with Tehran when they could see “tangible and sustained shifts” in Iranian policy.

He issued a list of 12 requirements for such a deal, many of which Iran would be unlikely to agree to.

In response to the speech, a senior Iranian official said that Pompeo’s remarks show the U.S. is after a regime change in Iran.

RT reports: Speaking at the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing Washington think tank, Pompeo laid out a list of 12 “basic requirements” for Iran. The demands call on Iran to withdraw from Syria, “release all US citizens,” end support for Houthi rebels in Yemen, stop “enrichment” of uranium, and promise never to process plutonium. Iran must also allow “unqualified access to all nuclear sites throughout the country,” Pompeo said.

He promised that the US would impose the “strongest sanctions in history” if Iran failed to comply with these demands.

Pompeo said that “the sting of sanctions will be painful” and Iran will struggle to “keep its economy alive” if Tehran “does not change its course from the unacceptable and unproductive path it has chosen.”

“Thanks to our colleagues at the Department of Treasury, sanctions are going back in full effect and new ones are coming … These will indeed end up being the strongest sanctions in history,” Pompeo said.

The secretary of state also pledged that the US “will track down Iranian operatives and their Hezbollah proxies operating around the world, and we will crush them. Iran will never again have carte blanche to dominate the Middle East.”

Speaking directly to the Iranian people, Pompeo claimed that “President [Hassan] Rouhani and Foreign Minister [Javad] Zarif… are your elected leaders. Are they not the most responsible for your economic struggles?” He added: “The United States believes you deserve better.”

Pompeo also said he’s sure that over time, Washington’s allies will warm to the Trump administration’s now unpopular stance on Iran.

Washington’s strategy is to weaken Iran economically, rather than engage in an actual war, Dr. Said Sadik, Professor of political sociology at the American university of Cairo, told RT in response to Pompeo’s address. “What the [US] is doing now is increase sanctions trying to undermine the power of Iran regionally, economically with the hope that that would lead to unrest and disturbances in Iran, that it would make the Iranian government stop trying to help its allies or extend its influence in the area. This is basically what they want.”

Sadik added: “I don’t think they want a war because war is very expensive and dangerous in this strategic area…What they want is to weaken Iran financially, economically, with the hope that the Iranian government will not be that powerful in the area as it is now.”

The speech comes after Trump announced earlier this month that he was pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal. Europeans allies had pleaded with Trump not to withdraw from the historic accord, which put tight restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani described the US pull-out from the deal as a “historic experience for Iran,” adding that “by exiting the deal, America has officially undermined its commitment to an international treaty.”

Iran says it expects the EU to continue to honor the agreement, despite Washington’s withdrawal from the accord. Inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have repeatedly confirmed that Iran is in full compliance with its obligations under the deal. </s> The Latest: Iran says 'sham' US policy to reap 'ill rewards'

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussing strategy on Iran (all times local):

Iran's foreign minister has taken to Twitter to criticize a speech by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that took a hard line on the Islamic Republic.

Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted late Monday that he saw U.S. diplomacy as a "sham" that was "imprisoned by delusions & failed policies."

Zarif wrote: "It repeats the same wrong choices and will thus reap the same ill rewards."

The Iranian foreign minister noted his country continues to work with Europe on "solutions" after President Donald Trump pulled America out of the 2015 nuclear deal.

Pompeo on Monday threatened to place "the strongest sanctions in history" on Iran if its government doesn't change course.

Israel's prime minister is praising U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's tough speech on Iran.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Pompeo had outlined a "very strong position" welcomed by Israel. Earlier Monday, Pompeo issued a steep list of demands to be included in a nuclear treaty to replace the deal scuttled by President Donald Trump.

Pompeo said Iran would have to stop the enrichment of uranium and withdraw its forces from Syria. He warned of "the strongest sanctions in history" if Iran doesn't change course.

Netanyahu says, "We believe it's the only policy that can ultimately guarantee the security of the Middle East and peace in our region." Netanyahu called for other countries to follow America's lead.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is offering a series of dramatic potential U.S. concessions to Iran if it agrees to make "major changes."

Pompeo on Monday called for a stronger nuclear agreement with Iran following the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 deal.

He says if a deal was reached that satisfies the Trump administration, the U.S. would be willing to lift all economic sanctions. He says the U.S. would restore full diplomatic and commercial ties with Iran and allow it to access advanced technology.

Pompeo says the U.S. would even support the modernization of Iran's economy and help it reintegrate into the global financial system.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is threatening to place "the strongest sanctions in history" on Iran if its government doesn't change course.

Pompeo on Monday called for a new nuclear agreement with Iran following President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal. He says the Trump administration prefers for it to be a treaty that is ratified by Congress.

Pompeo is laying out an onerous list of 12 "basic requirements" demands on Iran that he says should be included. He says Iran must "stop enrichment" of uranium and never preprocess plutonium. Iran must also allow nuclear "unqualified access to all sites throughout the country."

Pompeo says Iran must also "release all U.S. citizens," end support for Houthi rebels in Yemen, "withdraw all forces" from Syria and stop threatening Israel.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the Iran nuclear deal was "a loser" with huge repercussions throughout the Middle East.

Pompeo is defending President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the 2015 deal during a speech Monday at the conservative Heritage Foundation. He's laying out the Trump administration's strategy for ramping up pressure on Iran in hopes of securing a better deal.

Pompeo says Iran "advanced its march across the Middle East" since the 2015 deal was enacted. He says the Obama administration "made a bet" that Iran would stop rogue actions and adhere to global norms.

Pompeo says Trump withdrew because the deal failed to guarantee Americans safety from the risks posed by Iran. He says the deal "put the world at risk because of its fatal flaws."

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is laying out the Trump administration's strategy for constraining Iran's nuclear program and opposing its other behavior in the region following President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.

Pompeo will present the approach during a speech Monday at the conservative Heritage Foundation. It's Pompeo's first major policy speech since starting as top U.S. diplomat.

The speech comes a week after Trump announced he was pulling out of the deal struck by President Barack Obama, Iran and world powers. Europeans allies had pleaded with Trump not to scuttle that deal.

Pompeo is expected to call for those same allies and other nations to join the U.S. in ramping up pressure on Iran in hopes of securing what Trump has described as a "better deal."
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that the United States is terminating the 1955 Treaty of Amity with Iran.