‘International relations is not a beauty pageant’, Iranian FM tells Trump

Zarif says world is ‘sick and tired of U.S. unilateralism’

August 8, 2018 - 14:25

TEHRAN – In a tweet on Tuesday addressed to Donald Trump, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the world is “sick and tired of U.S. unilateralism”.

“Tantrums & CAPPED TWEETS won’t change the fact that the world is sick & tired of U.S. unilateralism,” Zarif tweeted.

The Iranian foreign minister also said the world does not pay attention to “impulsive tweeted diktats” by Trump.

“Stopping U.S. trade and killing 100K U.S. jobs is fine with us, but the world won't follow impulsive tweeted diktats. Just ask EU, Russia, China & dozens of our other trading partners,” Zarif remarked.

 ‘International relations is not a beauty pageant’ 

In another tweet, Zarif said, “Reminder: International relations is not a beauty pageant, with tired clichés about a desire for WORLD PEACE. And it is not the first time that a warmonger claims he is waging war for ‘world peace’.”

On May 8, Trump withdrew unilaterally the U.S. from the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and ordered restoration of sanctions against Iran. 

The first batch of sanctions was snapped back on Monday, August 6. The second batch will be restored on November 4.

Trump warned the European Union on Monday against doing business with Tehran.

Trump also claimed that the sanctions were intended to protect world peace.

“The Iran sanctions have officially been cast. These are the most biting sanctions ever imposed, and in November they ratchet up to yet another level. Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less!” he tweeted.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday that it’s up to Europeans to decide who they want to trade with.

“We are encouraging small and medium enterprises in particular to increase business with and in Iran as part of something (that) for us is a security priority,” she said during a joint press conference with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

NA/PA