The head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy commission, Heshmatollah Fallahatpisheh, has described the formation of “Iran Action Group” within the US state department as a form of psychological warfare against Tehran, saying the move is meant to rectify America's shortcomings in dealing with Iran.

Iran Press/Iran: Last Thursday, secretary of state Michael Pompeo, announced the creation of a group responsible for ramping up economic and political pressure on Iran now that President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the 2015 nuclear accord (JCPOA ). The so-called “Iran Action Group” would "direct, review and coordinate  all aspects of the State Department's Iran-related activity." The group will be headed by Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department's director of policy planning, and will report directly to Pompeo. 

In an interview with the Iranian parliament's news agency on Friday , Heshmatollah Fallahatpisheh said the Americans are trying to show the world that they have a special  focus on Iran, carefully monitoring all of Iran's activities and all matters related to Iran, including  sanctions.

In further remarks, Fallahatpisheh said this is a form of psychological warfare against Iran, emphasizing Mike Pompeo's intelligence and CIA background.  Fallahatpisheh added:  "Mike Pompeo, is an intelligence operative, a former head of the CIA, he may not know much about foreign policy, but the formation of this group in the State Department to steer all aspects of Iran-related activity, should be seen as a form of  psychological warfare against  the Iranian nation.

Commenting on US sanctions against Iran, the senior parliamentarian said: "In order to sanction Iran the Americans need strong and persuasive diplomacy, they need to count on serious allies who would collaborate with them [with regards to sanctions] , and they need a powerful and growing economy.  On all three counts , the Americans are in a weaker position today than they were in 2015, whem they signed the nuclear deal (JCPOA ). 

The US State Department has formed an “Iran Action Group” to coordinate and run an aggressive US policy toward the Islamic Republic on the eve of the 65th anniversary of a previous American action against Iran - the CIA-led 1953 coup against the democratically elected government of Mohammad Mosaddegh.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the creation of the “Iran Action Group” on Thursday, saying that the initiative would be "directing, reviewing and coordinating all aspects of the State Department's Iran-related activity."

The group will be headed by senior policy adviser Brian Hook, who is currently the State Department's director of policy planning.

 

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