٠٠:٠٦:٠١US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Washington won't "tolerate" Russian interference into the 2020 presidential election, speaking in Sochi on Tuesday.
"We've made clear for the past month that interference in the American elections is unacceptable. If Russians were engaged in that in 2020 it would put our relationship in even worse place than it has been," Pompeo said.
Lavrov commented that "We can discuss this topic forever, but until we have cold hard facts on the table, we cannot have a grown-up discussion about it". He also responded to Pompeo's claims of Russian interference, accusing the US of running its own meddling campaign in Russia's domestic policy.
Going on to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and Washington's decision to unilaterally withdraw from it, Pompeo said that the USA is "looking for Iran to behave like a normal country."
"We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran. We are looking for the regime to simply stop conducting assassination campaigns throughout Europe and to cease their support of Hezbollah," said the US diplomat.
Lavrov on his part said he hoped that reports about Washington's troops deployment to the Middle East in response to the supposed Iranian threat are "unfounded."
Pompeo arrived at the southern Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday to meet with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov. It is Pompeo's first visit to Russia as a secretary of state.
Russia: Pompeo tells Lavrov US won’t ‘tolerate’ election interference in 2020 vote
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Washington won't "tolerate" Russian interference into the 2020 presidential election, speaking in Sochi on Tuesday.
"We've made clear for the past month that interference in the American elections is unacceptable. If Russians were engaged in that in 2020 it would put our relationship in even worse place than it has been," Pompeo said.
Lavrov commented that "We can discuss this topic forever, but until we have cold hard facts on the table, we cannot have a grown-up discussion about it". He also responded to Pompeo's claims of Russian interference, accusing the US of running its own meddling campaign in Russia's domestic policy.
Going on to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and Washington's decision to unilaterally withdraw from it, Pompeo said that the USA is "looking for Iran to behave like a normal country."
"We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran. We are looking for the regime to simply stop conducting assassination campaigns throughout Europe and to cease their support of Hezbollah," said the US diplomat.
Lavrov on his part said he hoped that reports about Washington's troops deployment to the Middle East in response to the supposed Iranian threat are "unfounded."
Pompeo arrived at the southern Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday to meet with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov. It is Pompeo's first visit to Russia as a secretary of state.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov that Washington won't "tolerate" Russian interference into the 2020 presidential election, speaking in Sochi on Tuesday.
"We've made clear for the past month that interference in the American elections is unacceptable. If Russians were engaged in that in 2020 it would put our relationship in even worse place than it has been," Pompeo said.
Lavrov commented that "We can discuss this topic forever, but until we have cold hard facts on the table, we cannot have a grown-up discussion about it". He also responded to Pompeo's claims of Russian interference, accusing the US of running its own meddling campaign in Russia's domestic policy.
Going on to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and Washington's decision to unilaterally withdraw from it, Pompeo said that the USA is "looking for Iran to behave like a normal country."
"We fundamentally do not seek a war with Iran. We are looking for the regime to simply stop conducting assassination campaigns throughout Europe and to cease their support of Hezbollah," said the US diplomat.
Lavrov on his part said he hoped that reports about Washington's troops deployment to the Middle East in response to the supposed Iranian threat are "unfounded."
Pompeo arrived at the southern Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday to meet with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov. It is Pompeo's first visit to Russia as a secretary of state.