Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remarked that “Iran claims it doesn’t want a nuclear weapon, then threatens the world with its nuclear program. All nations must reject the regime’s extortion… The U.S. will never allow the world’s leading state sponsor of terror to have the world’s deadliest weapon—and yes, we can prevent it and will”. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) subsequently asserted that “Iran’s nuclear scientists, following the guidelines of the Supreme Leader, are ready to face the coercion and unilateralism of the U.S. government relating to the use of the nuclear energy”. “Foresight approach in peaceful deployment of nuclear energy is the strategic principle for [the] Islamic Republic of Iran and nuclear power will remain in the dominance of the Iranian nation forever”, AEOI added.