In response to Iran’s decision to take the fourth step in moving away from the nuclear deal, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement calling on all the nations to reject the regime’s “nuclear extortion.”

Pompeo’s statement reads: “Iran’s latest nuclear escalations reflect the regime’s intentions all along: to extort the international community into accepting its violence and terror while it undermines the sovereignty of its neighbors. Members of the international community who are rightly concerned with Iran’s latest attacks and provocations should imagine how Iran would behave with a nuclear weapon. The United States will never allow this to happen.”

Pompeo speculates that Ira is positioning itself to have the option of a rapid nuclear breakout.

He continues: It is now time for all nations to reject this regime’s nuclear extortion and take serious steps to increase pressure. Iran’s continued and numerous nuclear provocations demand such action.

After Iran’s announcement regarding taking the fourth step, EU, France, and Russia warned Iran against the decision, with President Macron interpreting it as Iran “explicitly and bluntly leaving the nuclear deal.”

The Board of Governors of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held a meeting on Thursday to discuss the Islamic Republic’s nuclear violations and unanswered questions.

According to Macron: “A return to normal can only take place if the United States and Iran agree to reopen a sort of trust agenda and dialogue.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov once again called on Iran to fulfill its commitments to the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).