The Trump administration will continue to expose and sanction Iranian leaders found guilty of human rights abuses, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday as protesters across Iran take to the streets to oppose the regime.
The Islamic Republic has taken violent action to quell the protests, even going so far as to shut down the country’s internet to prevent news of the protests from spreading across the globe. This measure, however, has not stopped images and videos from emerging, according to the State Department, which says it is in possession of nearly 20,000 messages and video clips showing the regime engage in mass human rights abuses.
Pompeo delivered a message of solidarity to those protesting the Iranian regime, telling them the United States stands with them and will work to expose those Iranian leaders complicit in suppressing the demonstrators.
That message stands in stark contrast to that of the Obama administration when it faced a similar diplomatic crisis. During 2009 country-wide protests in Iran, known as the Green Revolution, the administration avoided siding with anti-regime voices as it sought to ink the landmark nuclear pact with Tehran.
“To the courageous people of Iran who refuse to stay silent about 40 years of abuse by the ruling regime, I say simply this: The United States hears you,” Pompeo said in his final in-person briefing at the State Department before the Thanksgiving holiday. “We support you and we will continue to stand with you in your struggle for a brighter future for your people and for your great nation.” – READ MORE