Referring to protests in Iraq, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted “the U.S. has watched the protests very, very closely. We support the Iraqi people as they strive for a prosperous Iraq that is free of corruption and Iranian malign influence”. He went on to say that “we will not stand idle while the corrupt officials make the Iraqi people suffer. Today, I am affirming the U.S. will use our legal authorities to sanction corrupt individuals that are stealing Iraqis’ wealth and those killing and wounding peaceful protesters”. “Like the Iraqi people taking to the streets today”, Pompeo maintained, “our sanctions will not discriminate between religious sect or ethnicity. They will simply target those who do wrong to the Iraqi people, no matter who they are”.