Brian Hook: Khamenei called the Iranian people thugs, but he was actually describing his own regime

Brian Hook, the US State Department's representative for Iran, praised the people's protests against the Islamic Republic's "corruption and human rights violations" and once again emphasized the US government's support for the Iranian people.

In a video message to the Iranian people, which was posted on the US State Department's Twitter account on Tuesday, November 19, Brian Hook strongly condemned the Islamic Republic's violence, especially the threat of the Revolutionary Guard Corps against the people, stating that the United States supports the Iranian people's efforts for a better future.

A message to the Iranian people from US Special Representative to Iran Brian Hook. #IranProtests pic.twitter.com/UkCuJtclVz

— Department of State (@StateDept) November 19, 2019

He said: "Khamenei has called the Iranian people thugs; Khamenei has actually described his regime, not those brave Iranians who have raised their voices in protest against his actions."

Mr. Hook added: "The Revolutionary Guards threatened in a statement to deal with those who disrupt the security and peace of the people. The irony is that no one disrupts the security and peace of the people more than the Revolutionary Guards."

He then referred to the Iranian people's struggle for religious freedom and the fight against the compulsory hijab, saying that the United States believes in the Iranian people's efforts to (gain) their basic rights and supports their fight against the "corrupt religious mafia."

Referring to the naming of a day as Iran-US Friendship Day at the suggestion of Sattar Beheshti's mother and President Trump's order to prevent relatives of Iranian regime officials from entering the United States after Iranians requested it, Brian Hook said: "We still hold the keys to the Iranian Embassy in Washington and look forward to the day when we hand it over to a government that truly represents the Iranian people."

In recent days, the US State Department and a number of members of the US Congress have expressed concern about the repression of protesters in Iran and the nationwide internet shutdown.

The White House also condemned the use of deadly force against protesters and the severe restrictions on people's communications in a statement on Sunday.

At the same time, some Western countries also reacted to these protests and repression. For example, Germany called on the Islamic Republic to respect the legitimate protests of the protesters in Iran and to talk to them. On the other hand, US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone. One of the topics of this conversation was the popular protests in Iran.

New wave of protests in Iran

Protests over the high price of gasoline began on Friday, November 14, after news of a sudden tripling of the price of gasoline in various cities in Iran was released. However, the protesters' slogans soon reached the attention of senior officials in the Islamic Republic.

In his first response to the widespread protests in Iran, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo retweeted a tweet from a year and a half ago on Saturday, November 15, and wrote to the Iranian people: "The United States stands with you."

The Islamic Republic shut down the internet in major cities on Saturday night, and US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus responded to the Iranian regime's move by saying, "We condemn efforts to shut down the internet. Let them [the people] have their say!"

The United States says the Islamic Republic is spending its country's wealth on supporting terrorist groups and destabilizing the Middle East instead of its people.

The United States has also repeatedly condemned institutionalized financial corruption and the plundering of Iran's God-given assets by the regime's affiliates, citing them as the main causes of Iran's economic and financial problems. Not long ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted about the Islamic Republic's officials that they were involved in corruption instead of helping the people.

Source: Voice of America