US sanctions will not hurt Iranian people: Mike Pompeo

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has defended the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran, saying the new tough controls on oil, shipping and banking that start on Sunday at midnight will force Tehran to stop sponsoring terrorism.

Speaking to Media on Sunday hours before the new sanctions went into effect, Pompeo said the move would cut off Iran from its oil market and target 600 individuals and companies in the finance sector. He insisted the penalties would not hurt the Iranian people.

“These sanctions are the toughest ever put in place on the Republic of Iran,” he said. The top diplomat in the US said the new sanctions were designed to “alter Iran’s behaviour” and protect Israel and other countries.

The re-imposition of sanctions follows Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which provided economic incentives in exchange for a verifiable end to Iran’s nuclear programme.

The unilateral rejection of the deal has gained very few supporters, though Pompeo claimed “we have built an enormous coalition to keep this world safe”.