to accident, particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents. so, extreme prudence is required and we believe the united states is playing a very, very dangerous game. reporter: patrick shanahan is saying not so fast, not so much. iran is the threat and the united states is managing the threat. now, while zarif is speaking to an international audience, it is for iran. they are hurting under increased sanctions. iran wants to change that. we heard from their president, when president trump threatened the iranians with war, president trump s military aides came to him and told him to tone it down according to the iranian president, rouhani, it shows how strong they are at the moment. the reality of what is happening on the ground, the united states along with gulf allies are engaged in enhanced military
iran s foreign minister says he s not interested in escalation. having all of these military assets in a small water bay is prone to accident, particularly when you have people interested in accidents. so extreme prudence is required and we believe that the united states is playing a very, very dangerous game. the u.s.s. abraham lincoln has avoided crossing into the gulf and remaining in the arabian sea. trace? jennifer, what is the mood at the pentagon? i have a sense that officials are trying to tamp down the tension. president trump s acting defense secretary spoke outside the hill to brief lawmakers. he said the threat from iran is high, but the american forces he ordered to the region might have helped decrease that threat. we ve put on hold the potential for attacks on
escalation. we have said very clearly that we will not be the party to begin escalation, but we will defend ourselves. now, having all these military assets in a small waterway is in and of itself prone to accident, particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents. so extreme prudence is required, and we believe that the united states is playing a very, very dangerous game. so very dangerous game, the words there from javad zarif there. one of the things i asked him about, especially with the briefings going on on capitol hill, is whether or not the iranians were responsible for the attacks on the tankers in the persian gulf and also the pipeline incident in saudi arabia, the foreign minister absolutely denied that the iranians were behind that, but again saying right now, the situation in the persian gulf area remains extremely dangerous, kate. fred, thanks so mump. great interview. really appreciate it. coming up for us, is
there will be painful consequences for everybody if there is an escalation against iran. that s for sure. the united states is engaging in an economic warfare against iran. it has to stop. economic war means targeting iranian people. that has to stop. the united states does not have the legal position, does not have the moral position, does not have the political position, does not have the international position to impose economic war on iran. iran is not interested in escalation. we have said very clearly that we will not be the party to begin escalation, but we will defend ourselves. now, having all these military assets in a small waterway is in and of itself prone to accident, particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents, so extreme prudence is required, and we believe that the united states is playing a very, very, very dangerous game.
tehran respect by honoring the commitment in the nuclear deal when the u.s. withdraw from a year ago and he said the u.s. is playing a quote/unquote dangerous game. we are not willing to talk to people who have broken their promises. now, having all of these military assets in a small waterway is in and of itself prone to accident, particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents. so extreme prudence is required and we believe that the united states is playing a very, very dangerous game. democratic congressman john garamendi is a member of the house meeting and attending the meeting with secretary pompeo. good to be with you, brooke. you said would what would justify such a military presence in the reason and my question to you today is did you hear