Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wasn’t having any of the left’s gotcha-questions as he pushed back at MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell during a press conference.
Mitchell asked Pompeo about “the issue of cultural sites” in a question Tuesday on President Donald Trump’s warning to the Iranian regime about retaliating for the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani following a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad.
(Video: Fox News)
The NBC anchor and reporter referred to Trump’s tweets over the weekend warning Iran that if they attack any Americans as revenge, the U.S. has “targeted 52 Iranian sites” in response.
….targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2020
Mitchell noted, in her question to Pompeo, that Defense Secretary Mark Esper had said a military attack on cultural sites would violate “the laws of armed conflict.”
“I’m wondering whether you would push back in your advice or in your role?” she then asked Pompeo, after setting up the president as the real threat to Iranian cultural sites.
“You’re not really wondering, Andrea. You’re not really wondering,” the secretary of state shot back with a laugh before proceeding to dismantle her narrative.
“I was unambiguous on Sunday. It is completely consistent with what the president has said. We will take every action we take, and it will be consistent with the international rule of law, and the American people can rest assured that will be the case,” he said.
“Let me tell you what’s done damage to the Persian culture. It’s not the United States of America. It’s the Ayatollah,” Pompeo continued.
“If you want to look at who has denied religious freedom, if you want to know who has denied the Persian culture’s rich and steeped in history and intellect and they’ve denied the capacity for that culture to continue. If you go back and look at the holidays around Cyrus and Nowruz they have not permitted people to celebrate. They have not allowed people that they have killed, that Qassem Soleimani killed, they have not allowed them to go mourn their family members,” Pompeo schooled Mitchell and any other ignorant liberal media talking heads who have remained silent in the decades of oppression by the Islamic government.
“The real risk to Persian culture does not come from the United States of America. There is no mistake about that,” he concluded.
The wife of the late Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlevi, who died in 1980 after being forced to flee his country amid protests fired up by religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini, lamented the “serious damage” to Iran’s cultural legacy on Twitter.
Pompeo echoed his own comments on Twitter as well.
Suddenly @JZarif cares about Persian culture. No one has damaged Persian culture more than the Islamic Republic — disrespecting Cyrus and holidays like Nowruz, prohibiting dancing, and putting an end to religious tolerance. Iran’s regime has defiled everything Iranians hold dear.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 7, 2020
The United States was founded on tolerance. We have great respect for Persian history and its symbols, like Persepolis, Naqsh-e Jahan Square, and the Tomb of Cyrus. @khamenei_ir’s corrupt regime should listen to the people of #Iran. They want their culture and their country back.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 7, 2020
He was applauded for his response to Mitchell and thanked by many on social media for standing up for Iran’s people.
Well put that in your pipe and smoke it, Andrea.
— Impeach This ? (@velcra820) January 7, 2020
That was fantastic! ?????
— Bruce Krause (@BruceKrause13) January 7, 2020
Every day our media shows who they are and its DISTURBING
— Lisa B (@Lisabcajunlady) January 7, 2020
This is a great example of how Republicans/conservatives should respond to the media.
Never accept the premises of their questions.
— Dan (@DanFined) January 7, 2020
Dear Mr Pompeo❤, we, the people of Iran, support you strongly. This corrupt regime damaged our culture severely. We appreciate you for killing these terrorists–God Bless You ❤#RestartMIGA #Trump2020 #WWG1WGA_WORLDWIDE
— Ali Eghbali (New^2) (@Eghb_Ali) January 7, 2020
Very true. The Islamic Republic is the biggest enemy of Iran and Iranian culture. Over the past 40 yrs regime tried so hard to abolish all Iranian cultural events and celebrations cuz regime believes those are against its religious agenda.
— بهرام گور (@Bahram_Gooor) January 7, 2020
Thank you Mr Secretary, you know how grateful the people of Iran, Iraq, and the middle east are. #ReligiousFreedom
— #UnRedactedCopy Lori • Self Appointed Scribe (@LJT_is_me) January 7, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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