Mike Pompeo
© Aaron Bernstein/Reuters/KJN
The US is creating a so-called Iran Action Group, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced, adding that Brian Hook will lead the group in order to spur "international support for our efforts."

Speaking at the Thursday State Department briefing, Pompeo claimed that the world is demanding change in Iran's behavior, so that it "finally acts like a normal country." He added that Hook will lead an Iran Action Group to "galvanize international support for our efforts."

Hook said the US wants to "promote a brighter future for the Iranian people," adding that the "Iran regime has been a force for instability and violence."

Hook went on to speak about the 12 requirements previously laid out by the US government, which Washington says Tehran must comply with. Those demands include Iranian withdraw from Syria. Pompeo previously has stated that the US would impose the "strongest sanctions in history" if Iran failed to comply with the demands.



Hook said that if Tehran "changes its behavior" in those 12 areas, US President Donald Trump is "prepared to talk to the regime." When it comes to other countries continuing to do business with Iran, Hook said the US is "prepared to impose secondary sanctions on other governments."

The US "certainly hopes for full compliance by all nations," Hook said, while noting that Washington's goal is to "reduce every country's import of Iranian oil to zero by November 4."