US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Thursday that his office has formed an "Iran Action Group" (IAG) which will solely focus in coordinating with the Trump administration and in its efforts to push changes in the Islamic nation.
In a recent press briefing cited over at Fox News, Pompeo said that the interagency task force will be responsible for "directing, reviewing, and coordinating" all aspects of Iran-related activities.
The State Secretary emphasized the need for Iran to "show changes" in its policies both inside and outside of its jurisdiction. He further pointed out that it is high time for Iran to "act like a normal nation," as demanded by its people and the world.
The IAG will also coordinate with other nations and concerned sectors which share the same sentiment and "understanding of the Iranian threat."
Manning the newly formed governing body is Brian Hook, Pompeo's senior policy adviser. According to Politico, Hook will assume the title of "special representative for Iran."
Aside from putting economic pressure on Tehran, Washington also sought measures to impose diplomatic isolation on the Islamic Republic after its alleged violation of the 2015 nuclear deal.
The treaty, which is formally being referred to as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA), set during the Obama era, calls for Iran to restrict its nuclear activities in the Persian Gulf region. In exchange, signatory bodies such as the UN, Germany, UK, and US, approved the lifting of sanctions which has long been inflicting Iran's struggling economy.
However, recent reports by US intelligence committee indicated Iran's apparent violation of the pact which eventually prompted the Trump administration to withdraw from JCPA and return the economic sanctions.
Hook pointed out that IAG will make sure the country does not pursue any research on nuclear technology and its potential application to military warfare.
Moreover, IAG will also be working on different agencies around the world to help cut off Iran's connection with terrorist groups, and at the same time, secure the release of "arbitrarily detained" American citizens in the country.
Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies said, and as quoted by CNN, described the new action committee as a force to reckon with, given that it is "empowered to leverage all instruments of national power" with the aim to vanquish the current regime that is running the show in Iran.
"This Iran group will bring all of the US government's resources to bear on softening up the Islamic Republic," Dubowitz reiterated.
