Iran says Pompeo is 'loudspeaker for bullying', criticises US foreign policy

Iran has said on December 20 the foreign policies of United States are 'delusional' and its Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is a 'loudspeaker for bullying, deceit, and disdain'. A day after the US announced additional tariffs on Tehran, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said in a statement that Washington 'will not achieve anything this way'. Pompeo had announced US' countermeasures against two Iranian judges on December 19 for 'abusing the rights of activists'. 

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Mousavi also said that the US President Donald Trump's administration has shown the American citizens a world which is of 'inefficient, delusional, static and bullying foreign policy'.

Pompeo had announced that Washington would restrict the visas of Iranian officials while the White House has already ended the vast majority of new visas for Iranians. In addition to visa restrictions, Washington had also reimposed unilateral sanctions on Iran's oil as well as banking sectors after US' withdrawal from the nuclear deal of 2015. This was Trump administration's way to impose 'maximum pressure' on Iran. 

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US measures 'for humanity'

Pompeo, on the other hand, had said that additional measures were 'for the sake of human dignity' and the United States stands with the Iranian people.

However, Mousavi still said that US Secretary of State is 'unfit to be in civilised field' of diplomacy. Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson even said that the foreign ministers of the countries should be 'heralds of peace' but Pompeo is 'loudspeaker for bullying'.

The US had declared visa restrictions for both Iranian officials along with their families and while announcing Pompeo had condemned Tehran over a crackdown against protests which were sparked by the price hikes. The unrest is estimated to have killed nearly 300 people. However, Tehran blames the demonstrations on 'rioters' and its enemy nations while dismissing the figures of casualties as 'utter lies'. 

A state-run media agency reported that White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham on Sunday criticised the excessive force used on protestors who are demonstrating against the fuel price hike. She further added that the US condemned the excessive force and communication blackout used against demonstrators. She said that Iran has been in use of nuclear weapons and missile programs and backs terrorism for a long time. 

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(With agency inputs)