Pompeo notorious for supporting anti-government riots around the world: Analyst

US Secretary of State Pompeo is notorious for supporting violent anti-government riots around the world during his time as CIA chief, and his public concern for the Iranian people following recent protests over fuel price hikes is hypocritical, says an American writer and former professor.

“We have a saying in America: With friends like this, who needs enemies,” said E Michael Jones, the current editor of Culture Wars magazine.

“Pompeo is notorious, when he was the head of the CIA, for supporting these types of movements; insurrections in countries that overthrow their governments, and then once they get a new government, they find out the situation is worse than the one they overthrew,” Jones said Monday in an interview with Press TV.

“So it’s completely hypocritical on the part of Pompeo to talk this way as if he has the interest of the Iranian people in mind,” he added.

Pompeo was appointed CIA director by President Donald Trump in November 2016. Trump appointed him to be Secretary of State in April 2018.

The top US diplomat expressed his support for protesters in Iran on Sunday. “As I said to the people of Iran almost a year and a half ago: The United States is with you,” Pompeo said, retweeting a Persian-language tweet he sent out in July 2018 that referenced a speech he made that directly addressed the Iranian people.

Rioting, insecurity will be dealt with decisively: Iran

Iran

On Friday, Iran began rationing gasoline and substantially increased the price of fuel, saying the revenue would be used to assist the needy.

The National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) said in a statement late Thursday that the price of a liter of regular gasoline had gone up to 15,000 rials (12.7 US cents) from 10,000 rials and the monthly ration for each private automobile was set at 60 liters per month. Additional purchases would cost 30,000 rials per liter.

The decision sparked rallies in a number of Iranian cities, some of which were marred by violence as opportunist elements tried to exploit the situation and ride the wave of peaceful protests against hiking fuel prices.

Consequently, the demonstrations turned violent in some cities, with reports of clashes between security forces and certain elements vandalizing public property.

On Sunday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei backed the recent government decision to ration gasoline and increase its price.

Ayatollah Khamenei said while he is not an expert in the field, he still supports the decision which has been made by the three branches of power — namely, executive, legislative and judicial.

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that his administration recognizes people’s right to hold protests against a recent government decision to ration gasoline, emphasizing, however, that nobody will be allowed to spread insecurity in the society.

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