Pompeo says US does not want war with Iran

“President Trump has done everything he can to avoid war. We don’t want war,” Pompeo said Sunday in an interview with Fox News.

The top US diplomat claimed Washington will guarantee free navigation through vital shipping areas, saying, “The United States is going to make sure that we take all the actions necessary, diplomatic and otherwise that achieve that outcome.”

Pompeo was echoing previous remarks by US President Donald Trump, who noted earlier in May that he did not seek war with Iran.

Trump made the remarks during a visit to Britain when he told British officials he was not seeking a military confrontation with Iran and was instead aiming for direct talks with Tehran over his plan to negotiate and broaden the country’s nuclear deal.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington escalated again after the US accused Iran of being responsible for the attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman on Thursday.

The attacks on the Marshal Islands-flagged Front Altair and the Panama-flagged Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous sent shock waves through the world.

In an interview on Fox News on Friday, Trump blamed Iran for the attack without providing any solid evidence, as did Pompeo, a day before.

Russia and China, however, warned against reaching hasty conclusions, arguing that a thorough investigation should be carried out into the incident.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said Sunday that the United States may have carried out acts of sabotage against the oil tankers to blame them on Iran and pressure Tehran.

Experts say hawkish elements in  Trump’s administration, including US National Security Adviser John Bolton and Pompeo, are running US foreign policy and influencing Trump by feeding him false information, particularly in regard to Iran.

The Washington Post reported in mid-May that Trump was opposed to the extreme anti-Iran policy of his hawkish aides, insisting he preferred a diplomatic solution instead of war.

A senior US administration official told the Post that Trump grew angry about what he sees as warlike planning that is getting ahead of his own thinking.