TEHRAN – The CIA director, Mike Pompeo, said on Thursday that Washington will change its policy toward Tehran, signaling a tougher stance against the Islamic Republic.

Pompeo made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum, an annual gathering of intelligence and national security officials and experts in Aspen, Colorado.

He noted the Trump administration was working on ways to push back against Tehran, which wanted to be a “kingpin” in the Middle East.

The CIA director also criticized the nuclear deal and the former U.S. administration for signing it. 

When it comes to Iranian compliance with the agreement, Iran is a “bad tenant”, he said, adding that Tehran’s compliance to the deal was like a renter who did not pay rent until the landlord demanded it and then sent a bad check.

Meanwhile, the U.S. administration recently confirmed, though reluctantly, that Tehran met its obligations under the deal.

The U.S. president had been working with Persian Gulf states and Israel to find a common way to push back against what he called “Iranian aggression” in the region.

What won’t work is appeasing Tehran or forcing them into compliance, Pompeo said. “When we have our strategy in place, I’m confident you will see a fundamental shift in policy” towards Iran.

MH/PA