Secretary of state Mike Pompeo

Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran said the US had made the move in a bid "to distract public opinion."

Says there is a significant amount of evidence that the virus came from laboratory in Wuhan

Challenges remain, but that progress made so far provides hope and represents a real opportunity, says Mike Pompeo

He leaves for the eight-day trip to Amman, Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha and other capitals on Tuesday