Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that Iranian foreign minister Javad “Zarif’s government executed a young man - after brutally torturing him - to intimidate Iranian protesters… Democracies around the world have a moral obligation to stand firm and reject this regime’s brutality”. Pompeo added: “world leaders have taken an important first step and cancelled Zarif’s visits. They should not be rescheduled until Iran releases Navid [Afkari]’s brothers from prison and returns all wrongfully detained foreigners”.  Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned Pompeo’s remarks and argued that Pompeo “who is witnessing the failure of the policy of maximum pressure and unilateralism on Iran more and more, is attempting desperately to retrieve part of the lost prestige of Trump’s regime by claiming to advocate human rights”.