Pompeo Says Iran Brought in Virus through Continued Flights to China
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday accused Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of lying about the coronavirus pandemic as the Supreme Leader rejected U.S. assistance for his hard-hit country.
In a televised address Sunday, Khamenei described the United States as "charlatans" and charged that Washington could bring in a drug to keep the virus alive.
Pompeo in a statement also used loaded language, accusing "Iran's chief terror airline" Mahan Air of bringing in what he called the "Wuhan virus" through its continued flights to China.
"The regime continues to lie to the Iranian people and the world about the number of cases and deaths, which are unfortunately far higher than the regime admits," Pompeo said.
He said that the United States remained open to offering aid and was "working tirelessly" to develop a vaccine.
"Khamenei rejected this offer because he works tirelessly to concoct conspiracy theories and prioritizes ideology over the Iranian people," Pompeo said.
He also signaled that the United States was unreceptive to the Islamic republic's first-ever request for a loan from the IMF, where Washington effectively holds a veto, accusing the regime of funding "terror abroad" with its resources.
President Donald Trump's administration has maintained its policy of "maximum pressure" and sanctions as Iran is hit hard by the virus, with an official death toll of more than 1,800.
Trump, who is close to Iran's rivals Saudi Arabia and Israel, has sought to stop all of Iran's oil sales and the two countries have increasingly fought a proxy war in Iraq.
23 March 2020, 17:19
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Biological weapons are not something unfamiliar to the United States. They know how to spread plague and diseases around the world.
In Vietnam it was Agent Orange, In Iraq it was depleted uranium.
Now in Iran they created the Covid-19 that started to spread from China by American army personnel.
23 March 2020, 19:30
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Pompeo has made a testable claim for a change. Did Iran continue air-travel and air-cargo links with China after US/Europe blocked them? I did a quick Google and didn't find anything on point.
23 March 2020, 21:41
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Honestly, do you actually think about what you are saying? Just because the Iranians say it, doesn't mean it's true. Of course, in your case, you never go against the mullus no matter the stupidity they may bring into the argument.
Use your brain and actually think once in a while
24 March 2020, 18:22
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Baalbek in the 18th century was really under the control of the Metawali, which also refers to the Shia Twelvers.[20] Metouali, or mutawili, is an archaic term used to was specifically used refer to Lebanese Twelver Shias in the past. Although it can be considered offensive nowadays, it was a way to distinguish the uniqueness and unity of the community.
