Pompeo: Iran's involvement in Saudi Aramco attacks increases risk of conflict

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that Iran’s involvement in the Saudi Aramco attacks increases the risk of conflict.

He made the remarks at the Iran Summit, hosted by United Against Nuclear Iran.

Pompeo also said that “the enforcement of sanctions [on Iran] has been, and will continue to be, relentless.” Sanctions have forced the regime into “panicked aggression,” added Pompeo.

Too many people listen to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif and take their words as relevant or important or material or accurate, said Pompeo.

“The world is awakening to the truth, the truth is that Iran responds to strength,” added Pompeo.

Pompeo also drew attention to Wednesday's sanctions on Chinese entitites for transferring oil to Iran despite US sanctions.

“Today we’re imposing sanctions on certain Chinese entities for knowingly transporting oil from Iran contrary to US sanctions,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo said Washington was going to ramp up efforts to educate countries on the risks of doing business with Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps to disentangle them from the Iranian economy.

“We will sanction every violation of sanctionable activity,” summarized Pompeo.

The secretary of state then described US diplomacy as drawing attention to Iranian malign influence.