Al-Monitor- Iranian officials and the normally divided Iranian media have uniformly rejected and ridiculed the May 21 speech by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlining 12 demands of Iran that in essence would fundamentally transform the Islamic Republic.
Iran Newspaper, controlled by President Hassan Rouhani's administration, headlined its article on the speech The illusions of the newly arrived politician. The article stated that the speech outlined Trumps hostile policies toward Iran. The Reformist Etemad chose the headline Pompeos delusions for its front-page story. While the Donald Trump administration is promising unprecedented sanctions against Iran and trying to put pressure on Tehran, Etemad reported, Americas closest allies in Europe are busy negotiating with Iran on how to keep trade and the nuclear deal alive.
The newspaper Javan, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, used its headline to call Pompeos speech bluster. According to the article, Pompeo had tried to act like Trump in his speech, making 25 false statements. In addition, Pompeo said Iran must 15 times. The article charged that when Pompeo was 14, the United States would say what Iran must do, and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi would say yes, but then Iran kicked out the shah. Javan described Pompeos 12 demands as unintentionally listing Americas failures and Irans ascending strength.