closeicon
World

Trump to crackdown on Iran and its "terrorist minions", says Pence

Vice-President suggests new sanctions are on the way and blames former President Obama for being lenient with Tehran

articlemain

President Trump is personally committed to brokering a peace between Israel and the Palestinians and will crackdown on Iran and its “terrorist minions”

According to Vice-President Mike Pence, the administration will back “the negotiation process”, with any agreement having to be reached by both sides.

He added: “Where there will undoubtedly have to be compromises, know this: The Trump administration will never compromise the safety and security of the Jewish state of Israel.”

 Speaking to Jewish Republican supporters in Las Vegas, Mr Pence said the new government was “solemnly” sworn to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

He blamed former President Barack Obama for exercising leniency towards the Islamic Republic, and warned that Iran and “its terrorist minions in places like Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip” would face a much tougher approach from Washington. He suggested the possibility of new US sanctions.

In a speech light on policy detail, Mr Pence said the White House was still “assessing” the possible relocation of the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Mr Pence was addressing a meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition at the end of a fortnight in which he had visited the former Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, in Germany, and a desecrated Jewish cemetery in Missouri.

According to reports, before the meeting he tweeted the Nicaraguan flag instead of the Israeli one in two messages supporting Israel. 

The tweets were swiftly deleted.

While in Las Vegas, he met Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who donated over $25 million to the Trump election campaign, to discuss the administration’s Middle East peace plan.

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive