Pompeo says Iran, ISIS are the most significant threat

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday (January 8) that the United States was "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran."

He said the US decision to withdraw troops from Syria did not jeopardize efforts to counter threats in the region, which he characterized as coming from Islamic State and Iran, as he described them the most significant threat in the region.

Pompeo was speaking during a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi at the start of his second trip to the Middle East.

During his week-long trip to the region, Pompeo will visit Egypt, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, the State Department said in a statement.

As part of his talks with Middle Eastern leaders, Pompeo will also discuss the war in Yemen as well as Iran, Syria and other regional issues, the department said.