US stance on Iran ‘deterrence, not about war

Washington: The US defense chief said President Donald Trump’s administration was seeking to deter Iran but not start a war after he briefed members of Congress.

“This is about deterrence, not about war. We are not about going to war,” Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan told reporters after exiting the closed-door meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

“We have deterred attacks based on reposturing of assets, deterred attacks against American forces,” Shanahan said.

“Our biggest focus at this point is to prevent Iranian miscalculation. We do not want the situation to escalate,” he said.

Pompeo said that he and Shanahan placed Iranian actions within the context of “40 years of terrorist activity,” since the 1979 Islamic revolution replaced the pro-Western shah with a staunchly anti-US clerical regime.