TEHRAN — Mohammad Marandi, a professor at the University of Tehran, has criticized Washington’s obsession with China, saying both U.S. political parties are competing in hating other countries and peoples.

“With Russiagate competition for receiving US hatred was intense,” Marandi tweeted on Saturday. “It's now harder with the latest China obsession.”

“The 2 failing factions of the US regime compete in hating so many nations, peoples, international bodies & agreements...they neglect showing their teeth at Iranians,” the political commentator added.

The tweet was a response to U.S. President Donald Trump who has accused China of lying about its coronavirus death toll.

“China has just announced a doubling in the number of their deaths from the Invisible Enemy,” Trump said in a tweet on Friday. “It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close!”

Last month, Trump referred to the coronavirus as “the Chinese virus” on Twitter.

“The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!” Trump tweeted on March 17.

The racist tweet caused outrage in China. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman warned the U.S. should “take care of its own business” before stigmatizing China.

Trump defended his comment, ignoring criticism that it is racist.

“It’s not racist at all,” Trump said during a news conference, explaining his reasoning after a reporter told him many consider it racist. “It comes from China, that's why.”

China experts argue that labelling the virus this way will only increase tensions between the two countries and encourage xenophobia.

MH/PA