WASHINGTON – The US State Department has formed an “Iran Action Group” tocoordinate and run an aggressive US policy toward the Islamic Republic.
On the eve of the 65th anniversary of a previous American action againstIran – the CIA-led 1953 coup against the democratically elected governmentof Mohammad Mosaddegh.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the creation of the “IranAction Group” on Thursday, saying that the initiative would be “directing,reviewing and coordinating all aspects of the State Department’sIran-related activity.”
The group will be headed by senior policy adviser Brian Hook, who iscurrently the State Department’s director of policy planning. He willreport directly to Pomepo.
“Our hope is that one day soon we can reach an agreement with Iran but wemust see major changes in the regime both inside and outside of itsborders,” Pompeo said in a brief address at the State Department.
“The Iranian people and the world are demanding that Iran finally act likea normal nation. The Iran Action Group will drive daily progress on theseobjectives, and I hope do much more,” he added.
The top US diplomat went on to say that the State Department is committedto a whole of government effort to change Tehran’s “behavior.”
Pomepo’s announcement falls on the 65th anniversary of the CIA coup againstMossadegh. The 1953 United States covert action overthrew Mossadegh infavor of strengthening the monarchical rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi on 19August 1953.