Iran Says No Difference between Hook, His Successor

“No difference between John Bolton, Brian Hook or Elliott Abrams; when it comes to the US Iran policy, American officials have been bitten off more than they could chew,” Seyyed Abbas Mousavi tweeted on Friday.

“Same applies to Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump AND their successors,” he added, describing the US’ Iran policy as a “bankrupt” one.

His comments came after US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said on Thursday that Hook is leaving his post, and US special representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, will add Iran to his role “following a transition period” with Hook.

In a tweet on Friday, Secretary of Iran’s National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said Hook is leaving the office without any success in carrying out his mission, just like Donald Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton.

The Trump administration’s maximum pressure strategy was initially aimed at bringing about a “regime change” in Iran, but finally turned into “preventing Iran from becoming rich”, Shamkhani noted.

After Hook, “Mike [Pompeo] may also be forced to pack and leave before Donald [Trump]’s departure,” he added.

Alireza Miryousefi, spokesman for Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York, has also downplayed Hook’s departure, saying it “does not concern us and is not something we consider as a game-changer.

“The so-called ‘maximum pressure’ campaign waged by the US government has failed,” he told Reuters.

“Iran is not on its knees, and will not do so regardless of who is in charge of implementing this bankrupt policy. Active Resistance,” he added.