Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to depart on a tour of the Middle East next week in a bid to galvanize regional leaders to confront Iran and remind allies that the United States is not disappearing from region amid the Trump administration's decision to pull American troops out of Syria and possibly Afghanistan, according to senior State Department officials.
Pompeo will depart next week on his way to meet with government leaders in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
The goal of the trip is to show regional allies that the "United States is not leaving the Middle East," according to senior State Department officials who previewed the secretary's itinerary on Friday.
Regional allies and enemies alike have been up in arms over the Trump administration's surprise decision to pull all U.S. forces out of Syria and Afghanistan. Rogue regimes such as Iran and Russia, as well as regional jihadi groups, have celebrated the decision to withdraw, claiming victory.
U.S. officials, sensitive to the negative press surrounding the decision to withdraw, emphasized that the Trump administration is not abandoning America's role in the region and its allies.
"Despite reports to the contrary and false narratives surrounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere," said one senior State Department officials. "The secretary will reinforce that commitment to the region and our partners."
Efforts to combat Iran's growing influence in the region and ongoing support for terror groups also will top the agenda.
"The Iranian regime is the most dangerous actor in the region," said the U.S. official. "There is no greater threat to stability than the Iranian regime. The 12 demands that the United States has asked for remain. The secretary will continue his work on galvanizing our regional partners and allies to counter the regime's destabilizing activities."
In Jordan, for instance, Pompeo will tout the country's role in combatting ISIS and ensure greater U.S. assistance makes its way to the country.
