In a post on his Twitter account on Tuesday, Zarif used the term ‘fake news’ –frequently used by US President Donald Trump- to lambast the US secretary of state who has voiced Washington’s readiness to help Iran’s Red Crescent through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
“FAKE NEWS: SecPompeo claim that US ‘ready to assist ifrc, which would direct money through Iranian Red Crescent for relief’,” Zarif wrote.
“REAL NEWS: As ICRC President noted, Iranian Red Crescent can't receive any funds due to illegal US sanctions. US should own up to its ECONOMIC TERRORISM,” Zarif underscored.
The Iranian foreign minister has already decried the US pressures which have hampered Iran’s flood relief efforts as an act of economic terrorism.
Record rainfall that has battered Iran in the past week has caused serious flooding in many areas in the western provinces and forced thousands to leave their homes.
While residents in many flood-stricken areas are in dire need of relief aid by air rescue teams, the US sanctions have blocked the export of aircraft and their components to Iran.