Iran’s Zarif Raps US ‘Sham’ Diplomacy after Pompeo Speech
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described US diplomacy as “sham” and said the White House was repeating "the same wrong choices" after the US Secretary of State said Washington will increase its financial pressure on Iran by a series of new sanctions.
"US diplomacy sham is merely a regression to old habits: imprisoned by delusions & failed policies—dictated by corrupt Special Interests—it repeats the same wrong choices and will thus reap the same ill rewards. Iran, meanwhile, is working with partners for post-US JCPOA solutions," Zarif said in a message posted on his official Twitter account late on Monday.
Pompeo, a longtime Iran hawk and fierce opponent of the 2015 agreement between Tehran and world powers (also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action- JCPOA), earlier Monday outlined an aggressive series of "painful" measures designed to hurt Tehran, in his first key address since moving to the State Department from the CIA in April.
"Iran will never again have carte blanche to dominate the Middle East," Pompeo said Monday, outlining 12 tough conditions from Washington for any "new deal" with Tehran.
US President Donald Trump announced on May 8 that Washington was walking away from the nuclear agreement, which was reached between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany.
Trump also said he would reinstate US nuclear sanctions on Iran and impose "the highest level" of economic bans on the Islamic Republic.