The Real Mike Pompeo: the Hawk Who Despises Iran

With the nomination of Mike Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, U.S. foreign policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran and adversaries such as Russia, China and North Korea is certainly bound to become more aggressive. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to withdraw the United States from the Iran nuclear deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action agreement reached in 2015 by the Obama Administration and five other countries, though so far Trump’s effort has failed. In the past, the now ex-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other national security advisers have urged the president to use caution when reviewing the agreement; something that Pompeo, a staunch supporter of Israel, very likely will not do.

Pompeo Is Opposed to Iranian Nuclear Power

As reported by CNBC, Pompeo has repeatedly likened the Islamic Republic to the Islamic State, calling Iran a “criminal police state.” As a congressman, he worked closely with Sen. Tom Cotton to undermine Obama’s deals with Tehran and has publicly expressed his disdain for the nuclear deal signed in 2015. “I look forward to rolling back this disastrous deal with the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism,” he tweeted before becoming CIA director in January 2017.

Pompeo is “a longtime die-hard opponent of the Islamic Republic, who has for years advocated for a policy of regime change in Tehran,” notes The Middle East Institute. “He has always worked to set the stage for a military conflict between the U.S. and Iran.” It’s a hostile approach that he encouraged even during his 14 months as CIA director. As a matter of fact, Foreign Policy reported last July that, “although the majority of Trump’s congressmen endorsed the deal, a high-level White House insider supports a more aggressive approach, namely CIA director Mike Pompeo.”*

Furthermore, Pompeo is a fierce critic of the presence of Iran and Russia in Syria and has repeatedly stressed the need to overthrow Syrian president Bashar Assad. “Since the decision was made to allow the Russians into Syria,” he said in July 2017, “the situation has changed radically and certainly for the worse for the Syrian people.”

On North Korea

No less aggressive is Pompeo’s strategic view toward North Korea. To understand, then, what his position will be on the meeting likely to take place by May between President Trump and Kim Jong Un, the ex-CIA director said last January: “Kim is looking for a foothold to walk himself back. But this administration is not going to fall prey to the same trap that previous administrations did.”

Then head of the CIA, Pompeo spoke in favor of regime change for Pyongyang. “I hope we find a way to make this North Korean regime fall. The North Korean people are lovely people and would love to see him go.” he said in July 2017.

*Editor’s note: Although accurately translated, this quoted remark could not be independently verified.