US, Not Iran, Resorting to Extortion, Zarif Tells Pompeo

In a Saturday tweet, Zarif dismissed the claim by his US counterpart Mike Pompeo who said the world will “take decisive actions to stop Iran’s nuclear extortion.”

“Is it violating a UN resolution & punishing anyone observing it?” Zarif said in his tweet, referring to the US violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which endorses the JCPOA from which the US withdrew last year.

“Offering bribes for theft of oil & designating those who refuse?” Zarif further noted.

He was referring to the recent move by US Special Representative for Iran Affairs, Brian Hook, who tried to bribe the captain of an Iranian tanker, Adrian Darya 1, to pilot the vessel to a country which could seize it on behalf of the US.

“Maybe it’s demanding Iran’s submission or its people starve? Or, Is it lawful remedial measures under JCPOA?” the Iranian foreign minister added, referring to an earlier claim by Pompeo that if Iran “wants its people to eat” it must listen to the US.

Zarif’s comments came after Pompeo claimed the US is “confident that the UK, France, and Germany – indeed, all civilized nations – will take decisive actions to stop Iran’s nuclear extortion.”

He was referring to Iran’s decision to start the third phase of reducing its commitments under the JCPOA in reaction to the US withdrawal and Europe’s failure to live up to its commitments.

Iran has stressed that the measures are reversible in case Europe and other parties secure Iran’s interests under the deal.