Tehran 0
1 April 2019

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif asserted that President Trump's "'maximum pressure'... is impeding aid efforts by the Iranian Red Crescent to all communities devastated by unprecedented floods". "This isn't just economic warfare", Zarif added. "It's economic terrorism". The following day, Secretary Pompeo issued a statement offering "condolences to the victims of the recent floods in Iran", going on to argue that "these floods once again show the level of Iranian regime mismanagement in urban planning and emergency preparedness. The regime blames outside entities when, in fact, it is their mismanagement that has led to this disaster". The statement went on to indicate that "the U.S. stands ready to assist and contribute to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which would then direct the money through the Iranian Red Crescent for relief". Zarif responded, again via Twitter, to maintain that the "Iranian Red Crescent can't receive any funds due to illegal U.S. sanctions. [The] U.S. should own up to its economic terrorism". 

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