Pompeo says he'd go to Iran if needed

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday (July 25) he was willing to go to Iran for talks amid tensions between Tehran and Washington, but also called on Japan, Britain and other nations to join a maritime force to guard oil tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported.

Asked if he would be willing to go to Tehran, Pompeo said in an interview with Bloomberg TV: “Sure. If that’s the call, I’d happily go there. I would welcome the chance to speak directly to the Iranian people.”

In a separate interview broadcast by Fox News, Pompeo said that Washington had already asked Japan, France, Germany, South Korea, Australia and other nations to join a planned maritime security initiative in the Middle East.

“Every country that has an interest in ensuring that those waterways are open and crude oil and other products can flow through the Strait of Hormuz needs to participate,” Pompeo said.

Pompeo’s comments came after Iranian regime on Wednesday tested what appeared to be a medium-range ballistic missile that traveled about 1,000 km (620 miles), said a US defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The test did not pose a threat to shipping or any US personnel in the region, the official said.