Then-CIA Director Mike Pompeo testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on “Worldwide Threats” on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, February 13, 2018. (photo credit: REUTERS/LEAH MILLIS)
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will arrive in Israel on Sunday to talk with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran’s regional aggression and the nuclear deal with Tehran.
The former CIA director, who was sworn in as Rex Tillerson’s replacement on Thursday, left immediately for a Friday meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
He landed Saturday at King Salman Air Base in Riyadh, where he was greeted by Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and other Saudi officials.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted after Pompeo’s meeting with Jubeir that “Saudi Arabia plays an important leadership role in working toward a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.
“A strong US-Saudi partnership is critical to that effort,” she added.
Pompeo will also talk with King Salman before heading to Jerusalem on Sunday, where he is expected to deliver a public statement with Netanyahu.
Brian Hook, Pompeo’s senior policy adviser, said in Riyadh that Iran’s missile program would be a major topic in talks in Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Hook, who is negotiating changes to the Iran nuclear deal with European allies, called Iran’s missile program a threat to international peace and security.
He called on Europe and others to impose sanctions to curb Iran’s missile program.
“We are urging nations around the world to sanction any individuals and entities associated with Iran’s missile program, and it has also been a big part of discussions with Europeans.”
US President Donald Trump will decide by May 12 whether to restore American economic sanctions on Tehran, which would be a severe blow to the 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six major powers. Netanyahu has long opposed the deal.
Pompeo is expected to travel to Jordan to speak with King Abdullah before heading back to Washington on Monday.
He picked those three Middle East stops – Saudi Arabia, Israel and Jordan – “because of all that is going on,” Nauert said.
Pompeo arrives just two weeks before the US is scheduled to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
Trump said Friday he might travel to Israel for the opening of the embassy. “I may go,” he said.
Administration officials have previously said it was unlikely Trump would lead the delegation, and that Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, senior adviser Jared Kushner and Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, would travel in his stead.
Trump was speaking at a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Asked about the embassy opening, he praised the location in Arnona, in west Jerusalem, as an ideal spot.
He told a story of being mid-signature on a document signing off on construction of the new facility when he noticed a billion-dollar price tag. David Friedman, his former lawyer and now US ambassador to Israel, told him on the phone he could get it done for a fraction of the price.
Guatemala plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem in May as well. Paraguay’s President Horacio Cartes said on Friday that he plans to relocate his country’s embassy to Jerusalem before leaving office in August. Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nachshon said it was still unclear if there were concrete plans to make this happen. Romania, the Czech Republic and Honduras have also spoken about moving their embassies, but have yet to finalize their plans.
Channel 2 reported that the Americans will present their Middle East peace plan, with enticements to the Palestinians, soon after the embassy is moved.
Gil Hoffman contributed to this report.
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