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US to expel every last Iranian boot from Syria - Pompeo | US to expel every last Iranian boot from Syria - Pompeo |
(35 minutes later) | |
The US will use diplomacy and work with its partners to "expel every last Iranian boot" from Syria, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has vowed. | The US will use diplomacy and work with its partners to "expel every last Iranian boot" from Syria, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has vowed. |
Mr Pompeo warned there would be no US reconstruction aid for areas controlled by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad until Iran and its proxies had left. | |
He was speaking in Cairo three weeks after President Donald Trump announced US troops were pulling out of Syria. | He was speaking in Cairo three weeks after President Donald Trump announced US troops were pulling out of Syria. |
The decision shocked US allies and sparked strong criticism in Washington. | The decision shocked US allies and sparked strong criticism in Washington. |
Mr Pompeo, who has been seeking to reassure allies following Mr Trump's surprise announcement, said: "America will not retreat until the terror fight is over. We will labour tirelessly alongside you to defeat Isis [the Islamic State group], al-Qaeda and other jihadists that threaten our security and yours." | |
He added that the US was a "force for good" in the Middle East, adding: "Where America retreats, chaos follows." | |
Why did Pompeo mention Iran? | |
Iran, alongside Russia, has been supporting the Syrian government in the Syrian civil war, providing arms, military advisers, and reportedly combat troops. | |
The US is deeply suspicious of Iranian activity in the Middle East and views it as a destabilising force in the region. | |
It is also an ally of Israel and Saudi Arabia, two of Iran's foes. | |
On Thursday, Mr Pompeo said "we will not ease our campaign to stop Iran's malevolent influence and actions against this region and the world." | |
He added that American sanctions against Iran were "the strongest in history and will keep getting tougher". |