Bolton hails White House ‘deterring’ Iranian attacks

JOHN BOLTON yesterday declared that recent US actions against Iran had proved an effective “deterrent” against further attacks on America and its allies in the Gulf region.

“I don’t think this threat is over,” said Donald Trump’s national security adviser at a briefing in the US embassy in London, “but the deployment [of an aircraft carrier to the Straits of Hormuz] and other steps we took did serve as a deterrent and did cause at least some in the Iranian leadership to reconsider plans that may have been in the works.”

Mr Bolton also said evidence that Iran was behind attacks on oil tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates earlier this month was likely to be presented at a UN security council meeting next week.

“I don’t think anybody familiar with the situation has come to any conclusion other than these attacks were carried out by Iran and their surrogates,” he said.

In addition, Tehran’s support for the Houthis against Saudi-led forces in Yemen’s civil war also meant that the Houthi drone attack on Yanbu port could be blamed on Tehran, Mr Bolton said. “I think it’s fair to hold Iran accountable even without more information because of the foreseeable consequences of giving such weapons to the Houthis,” he said.

Nevertheless Mr Bolton, who has often called for the overthrow of the Iranian regime, struck a softer tone on future conflict, stressing that American policy was not one of regime change and that he was able to separate his personal views from his responsibilities in the Trump administration.

The remarks came after reports that the president has grown frustrated with Mr Bolton’s desire to escalate conflict with Iran, which culminated with a plan to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East should Tehran attack American soldiers.

Mr Bolton also addressed reports that the US has threatened to sanction European officials who work on providing companies a “wraparound vehicle” to avoid US sanctions as they trade with Iran. “You will have to find somebody to use [the wraparound],” he said.

“Unless and until companies are prepared to do business with Iran but not the US, even if the vehicle is created – which it has not been yet – it’s not clear it will have any utility.”