Mike Pompeo, who served as secretary of state in the first Trump administration and previously as CIA director, said he believes President Donald Trump's threats toward Iran and his promises to supporters of protests against the regime will be translated into concrete action. Pompeo said Trump has a record of standing by his word, and that leaders in Tehran should be worried about the direction being set by the White House.
According to Pompeo, the messages Trump conveyed to demonstrators in Iran were not empty statements. He said the threats against the Iranian regime are expected to materialize and stressed that there is no reason to assume the US president will back away from his commitments on this front.
Turning to Gaza, Pompeo said there is no chance that Hamas will voluntarily lay down its arms. In his view, only the sustained and extensive use of force can bring about a real change in the security reality. He expressed doubt that diplomatic initiatives alone could restrain the organization or alter its conduct.
Pompeo also rejected the idea of transferring control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority after the war. He said Mahmoud Abbas, the PA president, is a supporter of terrorism and argued that handing Gaza over to him would be a grave mistake.
Pompeo arrived in Israel as a guest at the annual economic conference hosted by the Profit Financial Group.
