State Department press briefing on Iran, Northern Triangle aid and Somalia: transcript

Key points

• Secretary Pompeo was to visit Central Command and Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa the next day.
• On Iran, she said the announcement was unsurprising, called it a pattern of 40 years of behavior, said the maximum pressure campaign continues and urged the world not to yield to nuclear extortion.
• On Israel she said no annexation plan of the West Bank had been presented or was under discussion, and on North Korea she said the policy of denuclearization remains.
• On Hong Kong she said the US supports the peaceful protesters and urged the government to address public concerns.

Chapters

1. 0:02USAID Administrator's trip to Congo, Rwanda and Somalia
2. 1:14Northern Triangle foreign assistance review
3. 2:48Pompeo's visit to MacDill Air Force Base
4. 3:24Questions on aid amounts for FY17
5. 4:36Iran's nuclear limits and the JCPOA
6. 8:39International response and maximum pressure on Iran
7. 13:30West Bank annexation question
8. 15:06Saudi arms sales and North Korea
9. 17:08Hong Kong protests

Full transcript

0:02Good afternoon. Okay, a few things to start off for all of you. Okay. Over the last two days, U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Mark Green has been traveling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Somalia. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Administrator met with healthcare workers at an Ebola treatment unit, community and local leaders and response groups working to stop the spread of the disease.

0:33In Rwanda, the Administrator visited Kigali on June 16th. The Administrator Green visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, paying respect to those who perished more than 25 years ago. He also met with President Kagame to discuss Rwanda's journey to self-reliance and to promote continued collaboration. Lastly, in Somalia today, Administrator Green visited Mogadishu, where he announced the reopening of a USAID mission to Somalia to expand the agency's partnership with the country. The re-establishment of USAID mission in Somalia, after closing 28 years ago, demonstrates USAID's commitment to helping the Somali people on their journey to self-reliance.

1:14The Administrator also announced $185 million in humanitarian assistance for the people of Somalia to address life-threatening food insecurity. Next, I have a quick update for you on U.S. foreign assistance to the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. As you know, in March the President concluded these countries have not effectively prevented illegal migrants from coming to the United States. At the Secretary's instruction, we continue to implement the President's direction regarding foreign assistance for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Hondurus. We completed a review.

1:51And previously awarded grants and contracts will continue with current funding. State Department assistance and supportive priorities of the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security priorities to help the Northern Triangle governments take actions that will protect the U.S. border and counter transnational organized crime will also continue. We will not provide new funds for programs in those countries until we are satisfied the Northern Triangle governments are taking concrete actions to reduce the number of illegal migrants coming to the U.S. border. Working with Congress, we will reprogram those funds to other priorities as appropriate. This is consistent with the President's direction and with the recognition that it is critical that there be sufficient political will in these countries to address the problem at its source. As Secretary Pompeo has said, these nations have the responsibility to take care of the immigration problems in their home country.

2:48Okay, and one more. Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 18th, 2019, Secretary Pompeo will visit United States Central Command and the United States Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. There, he will meet with General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of Central Command, and General Richard Clark, commander of Special Operations Command, to discuss regional security concerns and ongoing operations. And I will be headed out with the Secretary, so I apologize, but this briefing will be a little bit shorter than normal since the airplane doesn't wait on me.

3:24Right, and how do you do this tomorrow? The meetings are tomorrow. But he's leaving today. Yes. All right. Just before I go into Iran, can I just ask you, on the Northern Triangle aid, can you – do you have dollar amounts for what the total was that was initially suspended and how – and the amount that is going to continue now? And if you don't, could you get them or – MS NAUERT, we will get you the exact one. Some rough estimates – and I'll make sure to get you the exact dollar figures – is that – excuse me – we will continue to meet our contractual obligations for FY17, and that funding that's already been programmed is around $400 million. Again, we'll get you the – the – the $200 million continues to be paused or in an escrow from 17.

4:06And sorry, the $400 million is both the stuff that had been previously warded and the There was some stuff that you said would continue. MS NAUERT- Yeah, so there was about – I believe it was 707 was the number of programs in a very thorough and comprehensive review that we did. And of course, we said the – our assistance and support of priority programs from DOJ and Homeland Security will continue. And so we'll get you the exact figures, but those are rough estimates of where we are with FY17.

4:36Sorry. 707 was what? MS NAUERT- Okay, so 707 is the number of programs. The programs and activities – no, writ large. Total. Writ large, right. 400 million of which will continue. In the very extensive review, exactly. All right. MS NAUERT. And that's an approximate number, obviously. Fair enough, but it sounds like more than half is going to continue to go, right? Anyway. From FY17. Yeah. Okay, on Iran. I want to ask a variation of the question I asked you last week, which was when your ambassador to the IAEA noted that Iran was potentially or possibly in violation of the JCPOA on advanced centrifuges.

5:15And she called for the IAEA and particularly the European parties to the deal to urge Iran to stay in compliance. Now today we have a situation where the Iranians say they're going to bust through the limits on their low enriched uranium stockpile and maybe even start enriching up to 20 percent. Do you see, does this administration see any value in Iran staying within the limits outlined by the JCPOA?

5:48MS NAUERT- So I would say that we are unfortunately not surprised by the Iranian announcement. As we've talked quite a bit from this podium, this is a pattern of 40 years of behavior. It's consistent with how the Iranian regime behaves. They did this when we were in the JCPOA, right? They continued to build their missile program. We relieved sanctions. They took American sailors hostage. We have seen no moderating behavior by this regime. And in fact, what we're seeing here, of course, over the past week is constantly threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz, a number of activities – not just the two commercial shipping vessels that we discussed this week, but four other commercial ships.

6:32So I think what we're seeing here is really a challenge not only in the JCPOA, but really a challenge to the international norms on how a country behaves, a challenge to the international norms on freedom of navigation and freedom of the seas. And so we would say to the international community that we should not yield to nuclear extortion by the Iranian regime. Okay. I just want to focus on the nuclear deal, the JCPOA, and nothing else.

7:03MS NAUERT- Okay. Just that. Not taking the hostages, not online activity, not things that are not covered in the JCPOA. Does the administration believe there is value in Iran staying or continuing to comply with the JCPOA, which the President called the worst deal ever negotiated? MS NAUERT- Listen, we continue to call on the Iranian regime not to obtain a nuclear weapon, to abide by their commitments to the international community.

7:34And I think it's unfortunate that they've made this announcement today. As I said earlier, it doesn't surprise anybody. I think this is why the President has often said that the JCPOA needs to be replaced with a new and better deal. Iran, as evident by their announcement today, but also their pattern of behavior over the past few years, is keen on expanding – or seems to be keen – on expanding their nuclear program, and it now wants to exceed these nuclear limits in advance of these so-called sunset clauses. But that suggests that you believe that there is value in these limits.

8:07No? Does it not? I mean, look, it's – MS NAUERT- We call on the Iranians not to obtain a nuclear weapon and to abide by the commitments that they've made to the international community. Okay. Morgan, is the Secretary disappointed with the response from the international community so far? You said you would like to say to the international community they should not yield to nuclear extortion. So has the administration been disappointed by the response, for one thing, to the attacks on last week and more broadly on viewing the threat and the way to respond to Iran?

8:39MS NAUERT- No, not at all. I mean, in fact, I think that we have seen the international national community and our allies step up to condemn this behavior. I mean, this is clearly what we're seeing in the Strait of Hormuz, defies the pattern – the tenets that we all hold dear as it relates to freedom of navigation, freedom of the seas. The Secretary has been working, of course, incredibly closely within the government with Secretary – Acting Secretary Shanahan on multiple times working on ensuring that we We are defair – excuse me, able to defend our people and our interests.

9:14We're, of course, working on the diplomatic solution, while Secretary Shanahan and the team at DOD is focused on our military options to keep our people, our interests, and our allies safe. Over the weekend, as almost every weekend with the Secretary, he's probably the hardworking – most hardworking person I've ever worked for. The Secretary had a number of calls with the NATO Secretary General, with a Chinese member, with a Singaporean foreign minister, a Kuwaiti foreign minister, UK foreign minister, Emirati foreign minister, Republic of Korea foreign minister, Qatari foreign minister.

9:46We obviously don't have readouts from every single call that he has, but we have worked incredibly hard with our allies on this assessment as it relates to Iran's actions last week Just a quick follow-up to that. MS NAUERT- I'm going to mispronounce the name, so I'll get it to you, so — What, the title? MS NAUERT- The position, yeah. MS NAUERT- It's a Poland Bureau member. Okay. Does the Secretary believe that the U.S. strategy, as he laid out when he set forth these 12 demands – I mean, given that tensions only seem to be escalating – does he believe that the U.S. strategy toward Iran is currently working?

10:19MS NAUERT- Our maximum pressure campaign continues, and it will continue to be what we pursue. We think it's incredibly unfortunate, of course, the Iranian announcement today, but when we – again, when we look and see what's happened in the region – again, this is – as we always say, I know, 40 years of behavior, but especially over the past few years. When you look at this assessment that the Secretary gave here from this podium I want to reiterate something that he said, because I think it's sort of gotten lost in the media coverage. He said our assessment is based on the intelligence, the weapons used, levels of expertise needed to execute the operation, recent – similar Iranian tax on shipping, and of course the fact that no proxy group in the area has the resources and proficiency to act with this high degree of sophistication. So we will continue to work with our allies and work with our international partners, who would like to help us deter this Iranian behavior, who would like to help us get them back to the negotiating table, who would like

11:22to help us get them to behave like a normal nation. That's the whole goal here. Our demands are not high. Our demands are that they stop terrorizing the region. Thank you. Just to follow on Matt's question. So while there is no new deal between the U.S. and Iran, you asked Iran to abide by the the GCPOA even though you left – the U.S. left this deal? When you say you have to abide to their international commitments, you mean to abide to the GCPOA which the U.S. left? MS NAUERT- Yeah.

11:52We have made it very clear since this president came into office and since his secretary came here that we will not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, full stop. So any actions that they take. To get a nuclear weapon will be countered by a maximum pressure campaign by the United States Government that continues to this day. There should be no relieving of sanctions for their malign and unacceptable behavior. Can I have more information? Finally, Rich, you showed up. I know. Finally got the directions.

12:24The Secretary last week when he was discussing this, he used the phrase that Iran was lashing out. In the calculation when the Administration decided a year ago to withdraw from the nuclear agreement, did it anticipate or expect that there would be a greater level of this lashing out as a result of the U.S. withdrawal? MS NAUERT- Well, I think that the United States and the Secretary and this administration in general were well aware of the pattern of behavior from the Iranian regime. Anybody who's studied them more than a hot minute, who have looked at them for the past 40 years, knows how they will behave.

13:00I would love for someone to give me an example of some sort of moderating behavior that the Iranian regime pursued post JCPOA. I have no evidence of that. I have evidence of them taking U.S. sailors as hostages. I have evidence of the IRGC having millions if not billions of dollars to fund terrorism around the world to fund Houthis, who we saw hit yet another airport in Saudi Arabia where American civilians go through. All of you just saw that report. There's been no moderation. They continue to terrorize. MS NAUERT- Sure, Said.

13:30Yes, thank you. Very quickly, I know I asked you last week about Ambassador Friedman, and you stated Can we stay on the topic? MS NAUERT- No, no. I called on Said and he can finish, and I'm going to have to go in a few minutes. MS NAUERT- You can finish, Said. Okay. Thank you, Martin. Very quickly, yesterday or last week you said that what Mr. Friedman said was not U.S. policy. U.S. policy towards annexation. MS NAUERT- I said that our policy on the West Bank hasn't changed. On the West Bank and Gaza and annexation, it's very clear. But yesterday, the chief negotiator or the envoy, chief envoy, Mr. Jason Greenblatt, said exactly the same thing.

14:05I mean, apparently they did not listen to your statement last week or the position or did not take into consideration the position of this building historically. So do you have any response to that? He said exactly the same thing. He said that he basically supports what Mr. Spiedman said. MS NAUERT- I didn't – I read Jason's comments and I didn't take it the way that you just characterized, but I will reiterate that there is no plan for an annexation by Israel of the West Bank that they have presented to us, nor is it under discussion.

14:36So I'm not going to comment on hypotheticals. If and when their government pursues anything to us, we'll be happy to have a comment. I have two questions, one on Iran and one on Egypt. Iran said today that it had exposed a large cyber espionage network run by the U.S. by the CIA. Do you have any – Anything on this? MS NAUERT- I don't, thank you. And on the death of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, do you have anything? MS NAUERT- No, we saw that. The death was recorded.

15:06I don't think so. Just to go back to Iran briefly, have you been speaking to Congress about the oil tanker attacks and in particular using that as an argument to get lawmakers to back down on their attempts to block the arms sales to Saudi Arabia because they were still quite determined to try after the briefing last week? MS NAUERT- I – that's an interesting question. correlation that you just made. I mean, the Secretary, of course, said very publicly whenever he made this decision to continue the arms sale – which I would reiterate that those arms sales are to many countries in the Middle East, not just Saudi Arabia. We're talking about Jordan, we're talking about the United Arab Emirates, and some smaller arms sales in there as well, but one of the justifications was, of course, because of the imminent threats from Iran. Since I have to go in a few minutes, I believe somebody wanted to ask on North Korea, and I'm not going to give them a chance.

15:55Go ahead. MS NAUERT- Thank you, Morgan. And then I'll get Matt for the last one and then we'll have to go, but I will be back. I promise. Well, hopefully. I shouldn't say that. Go ahead. According to the Voice of America yesterday, Kim Jong-un said in a secret document the final goal of the North Korea's nuclear negotiation with the United States. It's the – to strengthen North Korea's nuclear power. Therefore, North Korea, Kim Jong-un, is not willing to denuclearization of North Korea. What is your comment?

16:33MS NAUERT- We see a lot of media reports like this all the time on whether it's North Korea or other parts of the world, and we certainly don't comment and speculate on every report. But since you asked me, President Trump and the Secretary believe that Chairman Kim And we'll fulfill his commitment to denuclearize, and that remains our policy. But on China – one follow-up, Matt? MS NAUERT, I just wanted to know if you – well, I believe that you would have seen the protests in Hong Kong over the weekend. MS NAUERT, Yes, sir. That continued despite the fact that the government put the extradition bill – or at least postponed it for a little bit.

17:08And I'm just wondering what you make of the situation there, and if you believe that the Chinese are acting in an appropriate way here? MS NAUERT- It certainly was moving, I think, as a citizen and a democracy, to watch these peaceful protests happen in Hong Kong. And we're seeing the people there in Hong Kong, of course, demonstrating. MS NAUERT- For their basic rights, for the rights of freedom of speech, for freedom of assembly, all of these things which are enshrined into basic law. And so, of course, as we observe these, we continue to call on the Hong Kong Government to address the concerns of their public, to consult with local and international stakeholders who may be affected by this proposed amendment, even though I know it, of course, has been postponed.

17:55The Secretary spoke about this a little yesterday on some of the Sunday shows that he was on and said that we're watching the people of Hong Kong speak about the things that we value. And I think that we have been pretty straightforward and transparent from this podium on our support for these peaceful protesters. Thank you. MS NAUERT- I will see you all Wednesday. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Source and licence

Recording: File:US Department of State - Department Press Briefing - June 17, 2019.webm by U.S. Department of State (2019-06-17), via Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain.

The transcript is machine speech-to-text by the TidyTools Audio & video transcriber; the summary, key points and chapters were written by Claude from that transcript. Both may contain errors: check the recording before quoting it.