Pompeo Expresses Concern Over 'Violence by the Iranian Government' During Protests

The U.S. Secretary of State has expressed concern about 'reports of violence by the Iranian government against unarmed citizens' during recent protests. Mike Pompeo tweeted on August 14, 'We are deeply concerned about reports of violence by the Iranian government against unarmed citizens.' He added, 'The United States supports the right of the Iranian people to protest against corruption and oppression without fear of retaliation.' The U.S. Secretary of State called on the Iranian government to 'respect the human rights of its people.' A new wave of protests has occurred in various cities in Iran, which has reached Tehran, sparked primarily by economic issues, but also featuring political slogans against senior officials and institutions of the Islamic Republic. On Sunday, reports emerged about the death of a participant in the street protests in Golshahr, Karaj, allegedly shot by riot police. However, the prosecutor in Karaj stated that the young 26-year-old was shot from among the 'protesters' and 'from behind.' This is not the first time that officials of the Islamic Republic have attributed the deaths of protesters to individuals other than their own forces. Previously, Iranian security and judicial officials had attributed the deaths of several individuals in protests to 'unknown individuals,' 'agents of Western security services,' and people among the protesters. Nevertheless, various reports from human rights organizations indicate that these individuals were killed by riot police or Basij forces. The officials of the Islamic Republic refuse to accept responsibility for the deaths of most protesters during the 2009 protests or in December 2017 and other similar cases. Yesterday, the U.S. President tweeted that the situation in Iran and its economy is rapidly deteriorating. Donald Trump also added that whether or not he meets with Iranian officials is not important and depends on them. The United States has called for a 'change in behavior' from the Iranian government and new negotiations regarding its nuclear program and other issues. The Islamic Republic has taken the U.S. to the International Court of Justice over the return of sanctions and the exit from the JCPOA. Tehran has yet to agree to new negotiations with the United States. Trump announced on May 8 that his administration was withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action among Iran, the U.S., Europe, China, and Russia. He instructed his agencies, including the U.S. Treasury Department, to begin the process of reinstating sanctions that had been lifted following the nuclear agreement. The first round of sanctions is set to be reinstated in the coming hours. Trump's announcement of exiting the JCPOA caused turmoil and tension in Iran's economy even before the reinstatement of sanctions, driving the dollar to an unprecedented rate and increasing the prices of gold and other goods.