"Iran remains a threat to peace and security," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday.
"Iran remains the greatest threat to peace & security – that has not changed," Pompeo tweeted on his official Twitter account.
He added: "we must work together, using all the tools at our disposal, to bring stability and prosperity to the Middle East & deny Iran the resources needed to engage in malign behavior around the world,"
Last Sunday, Pompeo said his country was seeking to "avoid war" with Iran, noting that the additional US troops to be sent to the Gulf on Friday were "to deter and defend."