Wednesday 27 February 2019 - 14:03
Story Code : 340060
From peace and joy to Hell will freeze over: Best of Iranian FM Zarifs war of words with US
Zarif announced his surprise resignation on Instagram on Monday, apologizing for any shortcomings during his tenure. He had served as Tehrans top diplomat since 2013, and before that as envoy at the UN (2002-2007).
He was also Tehrans chief negotiator in the process that resulted in the Iran Deal, the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and six Western nations that was supposed to guarantee its nuclear program would remain peaceful.
After the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the deal in May 2018, however, Zarif found himself in a war of words with Washington often using Trumps favorite social media platform as the preferred vehicle for delivery of weaponized satire.
Right back at you
Responding to US Secretary Mike Pompeo in June 2018, Zarif simply rewrote the US diplomats belligerent statement, replacing Iran with US and citing the old proverb that Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
S??e??c??r??e??t??a??r??y?? ??P??o??m??p??e??o??'??s?? MY statement on I??r??a??n?? the #US : pic.twitter.com/T2UgoST8RZ
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) June 28, 2018
Color us unimpressed
By July, Trump was trying the same rhetorical gambit that had worked on North Korea, tweeting in all-caps that Iran should NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN or it would SUFFER CONSEQUENCES such as history had never seen.
COLOR US UNIMPRESSED, Zarif shot back, noting that Iran has been around for millennia and seen many empires fall, including its own.
COLOR US UNIMPRESSED: The world heard even harsher bluster a few months ago. And Iranians have heard them albeit more civilized onesfor 40 yrs. Weve been around for millennia & seen fall of empires, incl our own, which lasted more than the life of some countries. BE CAUTIOUS!
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) July 23, 2018
No beauty pageant
In August, Zarif ruled out meeting Pompeo at the impending UN General Assembly session, telling reporters that Americans lack honesty. He then trolled Trump who had made comments about world peace by bringing up the US presidents previous career as Miss Universe organizer.
Reminder: International relations is not a beauty pageant, with tired clichés about a desire for WORLD PEACE.
And it is not the first time that a warmonger claims he is waging war for "world peace".
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 7, 2018
Never again
Later that month, Zarif noted the 65th anniversary of the US-backed coup in Iran that had overthrown a democratic government in favor of absolutist monarchy, vowing never again.
65 years ago today, the US overthrew the popularly elected democratic government of Dr. Mossadegh, restoring the dictatorship & subjugating Iranians for the next 25 years. Now an Action Group dreams of doing the same through pressure, misinformation & demagoguery. Never again. pic.twitter.com/ic3o652awn
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) August 19, 2018
Raking California forests
When Trumps chief ally against Iran in the region, Saudi Arabia, found itself beset by accusations of brutally murdering Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, the US president tried to deflect by accusing Iran of malfeasance. Zarif would have none of it, wondering on Twitter if Iran was also to blame for California wildfires.
Mr. Trump bizarrely devotes the FIRST paragraph of his shameful statement on Saudi atrocities to accuse IRAN of every sort of malfeasance he can think of. Perhaps were also responsible for the California fires, because we didnt help rake the forests just like the Finns do?
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) November 20, 2018
Hell will freeze over
Another exchange with Pompeo took place in January 2019, after the US secretary of state gave a speech in Cairo, demanding Iran become a normal country.
The day Iran mimics US clients and Secretary Pompeo's human rights models be it the Shah or current butchers to become a normal country is the day hell freezes over, Zarif replied.
Whenever/wherever US interferes, chaos, repression & resentment follow. The day Iran mimics US clients & @SecPompeo's "human rights modelsbe it the Shah or current butchersto become a normal" country is the day hell freezes over. Best for the US to just get over loss of Iran.
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 10, 2019
Same bull, same bully
A week later, the Iranian diplomat used the 10 year challenge trend to hit out at Trumps national security adviser an advocate of regime change in Tehran John Bolton, simply saying Same bull, same bully.
Same bull. Same bully. Same delusion.#10YearChallengepic.twitter.com/KgUAejJcar
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 18, 2019
Dictators, butchers and extremists
As Iran was preparing to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution, Trump once again called it out as the worlds leading state sponsor of terror. Zarif promptly shot back, accusing Washington of backing dictators, butchers & extremists, who've only brought ruin to our region out of hostility to Iran.
Iraniansincluding our Jewish compatriotsare commemorating 40 yrs of progress despite US pressure, just as @realDonaldTrump again makes accusations against us @ #SOTU2019. US hostility has led it to support dictators, butchers & extremists, who've only brought ruin to our region
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) February 6, 2019
Peace and joy
Not every tweet from the Iranian FM has been confrontational, though. In December 2018, he sent out a Christmas message of peace and joy to all, while quoting the Koran though he originally mis-numbered the verse he had in mind.
The angels said, "Mary, God gives you good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honored shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. (QURAN 3:45)
May the blessings of the birth of Jesus usher peace and joy to all in 2019.
Javad Zarif (@JZarif) December 24, 2018
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