Mike Pompeo: U.S. to use ‘every tool’ to keep China, Russia from beefing up Iran’s weapons arsenal

The U.S. will use “every tool” at its disposal to prevent China and Russia from delivering weapons systems to Iran, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday.

His comments come one week after the United Nations Security Council rejected U.S.-led efforts to extend an arms embargo on Iran that China and Russia — who both have veto-power on the 15-member council — opposed.

“Russia and China can talk a good game today, but I assure you the United States will use every tool in its arsenal to make sure that the Chinese and the Russians are incapable of delivering weapon systems to Iran that threaten us,” Mr. Pompeo said during an interview with Fox News.

Last Friday’s Security Council verdict quickly led the U.S. to announce that it plans to restore a slew of U.N. sanctions — informally known as “snapback sanctions” — on Iran in an effort to maintain a “maximum pressure campaign” on the Iranian government.

Mr. Pompeo on Thursday formally delivered a letter of complaint to the council’s president, kicking off the process that could lead to the restoration of sanctions within 30 days.

The Trump administration has repeatedly argued that ending the arms embargo would be disastrous for the Middle East and for U.S. national security because it would give Tehran sudden access to a buffet of Chinese and Russian-made weapons previously acquirable only through nefarious channels.

“Our sanctions will work, American efforts will work,” Mr. Pompeo vowed. “I am confident when that day comes, the world will be alongside of us as well, just as they have been in complying with our sanctions over these last three years.”