Pompeo to Iranian protesters: ‘We hear you’

Violent protests have erupted throughout Iran since Nov. 15, as a response to the regime’s decision to double the price of gasoline.

By World Israel News Staff

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. will continue sanctioning Iranian officials who are responsible for human rights abuses committed during the country’s recent protests, Reuters reports.

“The Iranian people are once again on the streets because of the regime’s poor economic management,” Pompeo told reporters at the State Department on Tuesday. “Instead of addressing their grievances, Tehran has responded with violence and blaming those outside of the country.”

“The United States hears you,” Pompeo said. “We will continue to sanction Iranian officials who are responsible for these human rights abuses, just like we did last week to Iran’s minister of communications.”

Violent protests have erupted throughout Iran since Nov. 15, as a response to the regime’s decision to double the price of gasoline.

France 24 reports that protesters torched dozens of banks, gas pumps and police stations last week.

Amnesty International reported on Monday that at least 143 protesters have been killed by the Iranian government since the protests first broke out.

“The deaths have resulted almost entirely from the use of firearms. One man was reported to have died after inhaling tear gas, another after being beaten,” the London-based human rights group said.

“Verified videos show security forces deliberately shooting unarmed protesters from a short distance. In some cases, protesters were shot while they were running away and clearly posed no threat to the security forces. Other videos show security forces shooting towards protesters from rooftops of state buildings including a justice department building,” the report adds.

NetBlocks, which tracks internet censorship, reports that the Iranian government blocked the internet in an attempt to control information, silence protesters, and prevent people from communicating and organizing.

Pompeo said that despite the internet blockage the U.S. still received thousands of messages from the Iranian people.

“We have received to date nearly 20,000 messages, videos, pictures, notes of the regime’s abuses,” he said. “We will continue to sanction Iranian officials who are responsible for these human rights abuses.”