Thread by @hughhewitt

Thread: I began my interview w/ @SecPompeo this AM focused on Iran’s continuing provocations in the Gulf:
“It appears that Iran has seized the United Arab Emirates’ tanker. Do we know where it is? And will we help the UAE get it back? 1

.@SecPompeo: MP: Well, I can’t say much about that, but we are following very closely what’s taking place more broadly even than just this tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.2

The President’s made pretty clear that this is an international obligation to keep these waterways open, and we’re working diligently to build out a maritime security initiative, a broad range of countries participating in that. 3

The Iranians’ effort to deny transit for commercial vessels, crude oil vessels and other vessels, is something that frankly is consistent with 40 years of their history, 4

and it’s something that the United States is prepared to do our part to make sure that those waterways remain open. 5

HH: Now Congressman Gallagher told me earlier on the show that the UAE is known as Little Sparta. Would they do something without our cooperation if they think their tanker has been seized by the mullahs?

MP: You know, Hugh, I’d hate to speculate. 6

There’s no doubt the Emirates will make the decisions that they believe is in their national interest. But they are a great partner. We work closely with them every day not only in the region, but on matters around the world. 7

And they, too, share our commitment to ensuring that Iran is not an abnormal nation, that it ceases its destabilizing activity there. And so we have a great partner in the United Arab Emirates.

HH: All right, last Iran question. 8

If they want a war, there’s very little we can do to prevent that. It they want a conflict and they keep poking the bear, or in this case, the eagle, they’re going to get one. At what point do you give up on Iran coming to the table? 9

Ambassador Grenell said the President always invites people to the table. I saw you yesterday on his right hand talking about bringing Iran to the table. Instead, they do, they seize tankers, and they fly drones at Saudi Arabian airports. They’re not coming to the table. 10

MP: The American people should never underestimate the broad range of responses, nor should the Islamic Republic of Iran misunderstand our efforts. 11

The best solution here is for the Iranians to decide that the diplomatic path forward is the best one for the people inside of Iran. And we try to talk to them, because the Iranian regime has clearly done things that are inconsistent with what the Iranian people want. 12

But our mission set, our mission set is to find a diplomatic path forward that denies Iran the capacity to be the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, to continue to build out their missile program through proliferation, and give them no pathway to a nuclear weapon. 13

Those are the three benchmarks that the President has laid out. And we’re going to achieve it. How Iran will choose to respond, whether that is by continuing to enrich at higher and higher levels, or by taking on kinetic activity, the President is prepared 14

with a full range of responses so that we can get to the outcome that we’re looking for. 15

HH: 1 more follow up. I saw you sitting next to the President yesterday. I don’t believe Foreign Minister Zarif sits much next to the Supreme Leader. I think he’s kind of an empty windbag

He’s up in New York holding court. Should we be bothering any time with him? Should other Americans be meeting with him? He just seems to me to be a false flag of moderation when in fact the regime remains the regime it has always been since 1979? 17

MP: Hugh, your core point, I think, is correct. In the end, the Ayatollah is calling all of the shots, 100% of them, with respect to the big, strategic issues inside of Iran, and how their national security apparatus will work. 18

He has at his right hand like Qassem Soleimani, who is driving much of the activity that we’ve talked about so far. I don’t view there are being two camps. There is a singular set of activities that every leader inside of Iran is responsible for.19

So it is, Zarif comes around and talks about how he’s the good guy. He has been the foreign minister while the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken every action we’ve seen. And he is equally responsible for those activities.” hughhewitt.com/secretary-of-s… 20