U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described Iran as the new "home base" for al-Qaeda (the terrorist group banned in Russia) – without offering direct new evidence.
"Iran is indeed the new Afghanistan, as the key geographic hub for al-Qaeda," Pompeo said.
"They're partners in terrorism, partners in hate. This axis poses a grave threat to the security of nations and to the American homeland itself," US Today cited him as saying.
His remarks come just days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office with promises to revive U.S.-Iran diplomacy, including the 2015 multilateral nuclear deal, aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear program, which the Trump administration withdrew from in 2018. Pompeo has made it clear he opposes Biden's plans to return to nuclear negotiations with Iran.
