In an exclusive interview with Radio Farda, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran asserted on Monday that the Islamic Republic establishment should listen to the demands of the Iranian people.
Brian Hook, Senior Policy Advisor to the Secretary of State echoed his boss' latest comments, insisting that Washington firmly stands with the Iranian people, and supports their desire for a government "that doesn't rob them blind" and spend the money in Damascus, Beirut, Baghdad and Yemen.
"This is a message he (Mike Pompeo) has been carrying now for his entire time as the Secretary of State. One of the first speeches he gave after becoming secretary was highlighting the plight of the Iranian people, and how this regime prioritizes ideology over their own people’s welfare," Hook told Radio Farda.
Defending the comprehensive U.S. sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, Hook noted, "We think that our sanctions have expanded the space for the Iranian people to demand a more accountable representative government."
Meanwhile, Hook accused the leaders of the Islamic Republic of hypocrisy, affirming, they have shut down the Internet in Iran. At the same time, the Supreme Leader, the President, and the Foreign Minister (of Iran) continue to use social media. They use the Internet to relay their message. But they do not let the Iranian people voice the truth.
Lambasting the Islamic Republic for suppressing people's call for a better life, Hook underlined the fact that Iranians are aware of the nature of their country's political establishment.
"This regime is murdering protesters, they are oppressing them, and they are resisting their demands for a better way of life. Iranian people know that it is a deeply hypocritical regime, it is a corrupt religious Mafia that has been stealing the wealth of the Iranian people for decades and spending it in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Palestinian territories, bombing in Argentina, assassinations in Europe," the U.S. special envoy noted.
Furthermore, Hook asserted that the Islamic Republic is a political system that has conducted terrorist operations in five continents of the world.
According to Hook, since its establishment four decades ago, the Islamic Republic has had the ambition to dominate the world.
"This regime has conducted terrorist operations in five continents. This is consistent with what Ayatollah Khomeini said in 1978-79 that he has a plan to dominate not just the Middle East but to dominate the world," Hook reiterated.
Looking back at his appointment as the U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Hook reminded, "Shortly after (the appointment), I had a sense that there would be protests in the future and I noticed the regime tries to shut down the ability of the Iranian people to communicate with each other. So, I started working with private sector technology companies, and we have been able to get into the hands of the Iranian people circumvention tools that allow them to communicate with each other when the regime tries to censor them, and this work has been going on for over a year and a half."
While describing some Iran-related footage circulated on social media as horrifying scenes of "murdering innocent people in Iran," Hook praised some other videos as inspiring, "I have seen a number of videos over the last few days; some very graphic involving the regime murdering innocent people. Others are very inspirational. I saw a woman today standing on a bridge in Iran, and she removed the compulsory hijab and started shouting to all the people who were listening to her. She said how tired she was of this oppressive regime, and calling on the people to demonstrate against this regime for all of its violations of the Iranian people's basic rights, especially women."
In the meantime, Hook highlighted the Islamic Republic leaders' "frayed excuse" about the role of "hostile governments" and foreign-based dissidents in all anti-establishment demonstrations held in Iran.
"One of the regime's most consistent tactics is to deflect blame for their own failure and project them on the United States, on to the Saudis, on to the Shah, on to the Israelis, on to Mossadegh. It never ends. I even saw a statement, I think, by the Supreme Leader, who is blaming the current protests on something the Shah did forty years ago. The regime is obsessed with victimization," Hook said, adding, "They really need to listen to their own people, and if they did, they would stop wasting tens of billions of dollars over the Middle East."
