We are not about going to war," Patrick Shanahan, the acting defense secretary, told reporters after exiting the closed-door briefing he gave with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "We have deterred attacks based on reposturing of assets -- deterred attacks against American forces," Shanahan said. "There will be painful consequences for everybody (if) there is an escalation against Iran, that's for sure," he said," Zarif told CNN. "I believe that a war with Iran would be an absolute disaster, far worse than the war with Iraq," Sanders said. But Trump has sent mixed signals, on Sunday warning by tweet that the United States could obliterate Iran while also calling for talks.

Source: Bangkok Post May 21, 2019 21:45 UTC