Iranian Threats Put On Hold: Patrick Shanahan

Washington: The prospects of Iranian attacks on US forces in the Middle East have been put “on hold”, acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan has said after the Donald Trump administration deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and B-52 bombers in the region. “I think our steps were very prudent and we’ve put on hold the potential for attacks on Americans by Iran or its allies,” Shanahan told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday. “And that’s what’s extremely important.” “I just hope Iran is listening. We’re in the region to address many things but it is not to go to a war with Iran.”

The administration sought to assure lawmakers in classified briefings that a war wasn’t imminent. The briefings were the first for all members of Congress since the Trump administration more than two weeks ago declared a threat of an imminent Iranian attack and deployed several warships and bombers in the region. But Shanahan, who addressed lawmakers alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford, cautioned that threats by Tehran or Iranian-backed militias haven’t been eradicated, the New York Post reported. (IANS)

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