The war against Iran is now in its fifth month, with many wondering when it will end and under what circumstances.
For Mike Pompeo, former US Secretary of State, there is only one possible answer: an American victory. But that doesn't mean achieving the initial goal set by Donald Trump 's administration, which was to overthrow the Iranian regime.
“This is not about regime change. The goal is to guarantee the free passage of goods through an international route and to prevent a theocratic regime, which has killed hundreds of American citizens for decades, from continuing to have the capacity to threaten the world,” he told NeoFeed and a group of journalists on Friday, July 24, on the sidelines of Expert XP .
For Pompeo, the priority is to restore deterrence capability, prevent Iran from continuing to threaten international trade, and protect US allies. He argued that the West needs to maintain economic and military pressure on Tehran until the regime changes its behavior, for as long as necessary.
“They see this [closing the Strait of Hormuz] as an important leverage point, and it’s not possible to have cheap energy without reopening the strait to maritime traffic. And the Iranian regime, the Revolutionary Guard, and the people in charge today will not allow this to happen until they are defeated.”
Regarding another armed conflict that has been putting pressure on the markets, the war between Russia and Ukraine , Pompeo avoided making predictions about a possible peace agreement. He praised the Ukrainian resistance and said that the country has demonstrated that democracies can stand up to authoritarian governments.
According to the former Secretary of State, Russian President Vladimir Putin faces an increasingly pressured economy and is beginning to suffer military attacks within his own territory. But this does not mean he is ready to give in.
"I can't say whether Putin will ever accept a deal. He has already been offered two deals that were far better than the one he is likely to secure in the future," he stated.
Regarding the trade war waged by the Trump administration, he did not specifically comment on the reasons that led the United States to impose tariffs on Brazil , but stated that the import taxes are part of a broader strategy to recover and protect the American economy.
Although he demonstrated alignment with the objectives of the United States' offensive against Iran, Pompeo did not do the same regarding trade policy. "If it were up to me, I would support zero tariffs and zero non-tariff barriers."
Follow the main excerpts from the interview.
With Iran, the only answer is to win.
[The war] only ends when the Iranian regime is defeated. President Trump has spoken of this from the beginning. He spoke of surrender. It's clear that the Iranians won't do what's necessary, which is to abandon their nuclear program and allow the free passage of goods through the strait. They see this as an important leverage point, and it's impossible to have cheap energy without reopening the strait to maritime traffic. And the Iranian regime, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the people in charge today won't allow that to happen until they are defeated. I think President Trump has come to understand this. He tried to negotiate. He tried to offer the Iranians what, in my opinion, was an overly generous deal. But they rejected it. As long as they are trying to control the strait and killing American citizens, the only answer is to win.
The priority is to restore deterrent capability.
It is possible [to win]. That is the failure of the Western mentality and imagination. People think we are doomed to lose and that we simply give up when things get tough. No. We must win. What does it take to win? You do whatever it takes to win. It's not about regime change. The goal is to ensure the free passage of goods along an international route and to prevent a theocratic regime, which for decades has killed hundreds of American citizens, from continuing to have the capacity to threaten the world. Look at what is happening today: they are launching missiles against their own Muslim brothers. They are not firing rockets at Israel because they are afraid. That is the model of deterrence. Israel managed to deter the Iranian regime. We all, the West, need to restore that capacity for deterrence.
I prefer zero fees.
I have a different opinion, but I believe the government is trying to build a model in which American industry continues to thrive and grow. The president and the United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer—who is an excellent person—understand that there is a national security component to maintaining the ability to produce within the United States and are using tariffs as one of the tools for that. In my view—and I believe this is what the administration is aiming for—tariffs should be used as an instrument to convince our friends, allies, and partners to negotiate with us in a way that is economically fair to all. If it were up to me, it would be zero tariffs and zero non-tariff barriers.
Ukraine War Still Open
There's no way to know if an agreement will be signed while we're here talking or if it will only happen in five years. I can't answer that. What the Ukrainians have demonstrated is that nations that defend basic human rights and the dignity of people are fundamentally different from agents of evil, like Vladimir Putin. And those who defend these values can, indeed, change the course of events. Putin can see that his economy is under pressure. He can see that things are starting to explode within his own country. I can't say if Vladimir Putin will ever accept an agreement. He has already been offered two much better agreements than the one he will probably get in the future. As for when this will end, I really don't know. But I know how it needs to end, with Western civilization defeating evil.
