TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that the United States’ claims of support for the Iranian people is a “shameful lie”.

“A regime which imposes economic terrorism and prevents sending food and medicine to ordinary people, including the elderly and sick ones, can never make an obscene claim of supporting the Iranian people,” Zarif said. 

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday expressed support for rioters in protests in Iran over increase in petrol price.

“As I said to the people of Iran almost a year and a half ago: The United States is with you,” Pompeo tweeted.

Zarif said, “Lawful protest is the people’s right which has been recognized by the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is no need for deceitful supports of regimes which seek to reach their illegitimate and illegal objectives through imposing economic pressure, even in area of food and medicine, on the Iranian people.”

Zarif added, “Countries which have shown no capability and will to counter the United States’ economic terrorism and are hiding their incapability through supporting chaos should bear responsibility for consequences of their dangerous provocations.” 

Protests have been sparked in some cities in Iran against the government’s measure in rationing gasoline and substantially increasing its price. The protests have turned violent with reports of clashes between security forces and certain elements vandalizing public property.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Sunday that the Iranian people condemn Pompeo’s support for rioters.

“Actions being taken by a number of rioters and saboteurs who are supported by someone like him [Pompeo] have nothing to do with the insightful Iranian people,” Mousavi said.

He added that the Iranian people are well aware that such supports “are not out of sympathy”.

“Interesting! They are expressing sympathy with the people who are under the United States’ economic terrorism,” he noted. 

Mousavi added that Pompeo is claiming support for the Iranian people while he had said before that Iran should surrender if it wants its people to eat.

NA/PA