Writing in the New York Times, the U.S. secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, asserted that "the flawed Iran nuclear deal is no longer the focal point of our policy toward Iran. We are now confronting the totality of Iranian threats". Tillerson added that "we will continue to work with our allies and with Congress to explore options for addressing the nuclear deal's many flaws, while building a like-minded effort to punish Iran for its violations of ballistic missile commitments and its destabili[s]ing activities in the region".