US 'knee-on-neck' technique failed with Iran, will fail with African-Americans: FM Zarif

Iran’s foreign minister says the US administration is using the same repression technique against its African-American population, which it has been applying to Iranians for two years, but to no avail.

In a post on his official Twitter account on Monday, Mohammad Javad Zarif made a comparison between Washington’s so-called “maximum-pressure” campaign against Tehran and the “knee-on-neck” technique used by US police when arresting Black Americans, which in its latest example led to the death in custody of an unarmed African-American in the city of Minneapolis in Minnesota.

“The ‘knee-on-neck’ technique is nothing new,” Zarif wrote, adding that it was administered to African-Americans by the “same cabal,” which has been pursuing the campaign of “maximum pressure” against 80 million Iranians during the past two years.

Iran’s top diplomat added that just in the same way that US’ repressive technique failed to force Iranians into submission, it will also fail to bring African-Americans to their knees.

“It hasn't brought us to our knees. Nor will it abase African-Americans,” Zarif said.

Zarif's tweet comes at a time that angry protests are spreading across the United States following the recent choking to death of unarmed African-American George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis.

Police have responded with tear gas canisters and rubber bullets to the protests that have so far engulfed at least 30 US cities. Minnesota, where the murder took place, has even activated the National Guard against the protesters in a rare move.

1,400 arrested as angry George Floyd protesters defy curfews across US

Protests have erupted in at least 30 US cities over the death of unarmed black man George Floyd in police custody.

Over 1,400 people have been arrested across the United States in angry protests over the death of the unarmed black man in police custody.

As demonstrators clashed with police outside the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump was taken to the underground bunker for a period of time.

Trump taken to underground bunker during White House protests

As protesters gathered outside the White House Friday night in Washington, DC, President Trump was briefly taken to the underground bunker.

Trump was there for a little under an hour before being brought upstairs as protesters pulled metal barricades away from the White House gates, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Read more:

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• US has ‘very violent, unjust, and very cruel system’: Analyst
• Protesters circle White House grounds as curfews go into effect nationwide
• Fires burn near White House amid US protests over police brutality
• Protests indicate public rage against US injustice & violence: Analyst

In a Tweet on Sunday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry criticized Washington’s heavy-handed crackdown on protests against police racism and brutality, saying instead of using ‘vicious dogs and ominous weapons’, the US government should listen to the people and change its bankrupt policies.

Iran: Instead of using ‘vicious dogs', US should listen to its people

Iran says the US should change its bankrupt policies amid protests against police brutality.

The ministry alluded to the fact that the current problems nagging the United States, including the self-created crisis following the COVID-19 outbreak, stem from failure of the administration of President Trump to keep its promise of stopping wasting money on foreign adventurism.

Read more:

• Iran to Americans: 'World has heard your voice against oppression'
• Arrogant US used to lecturing others: Iran's Mousavi

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