Pompeo blames Iran flooding on regime mismanagement, offers US help
While the Trump administration said that it was prepared to help Iran following extensive flooding, at the same time it blamed the disaster on "regime mismanagement."
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today extended condolences to the victims of Iranian flooding, and said the United States was prepared to offer help. But in a sign that the offer may have been less than serious, he did so in a statement blaming Iranian regime mismanagement for the flooding, and without any accompanying guidance on how assistance could be directed to Iran without violating US sanctions.
“On behalf of the American people, we offer our condolences to the victims of the recent floods in Iran,” Pompeo said in a written statement. “These floods once again show the level of Iranian regime mismanagement in urban planning and in emergency preparedness."
Pompeo rejected the reported claim by Iran’s Foreign Ministry that US sanctions were preventing donations to Iran’s Red Crescent society.
“The regime blames outside entities when, in fact, it is their mismanagement that has led to this disaster,” Pompeo’s statement continued. “The United States stands ready to assist and contribute to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which would then direct the money through the Iranian Red Crescent for relief.”
