The US secretary of state specified that this also applies to North Korea.
Humanitarian assistance to Iran and Venezuela is not subject to United States sanctions, and Washington has offered it to those States. This statement was made on Wednesday by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in an interview with several publications, including the German newspaper Bild.
“In both cases, Venezuela and Iran, especially Iran, which suffers greatly from coronavirus, have no sanctions that would prevent humanitarian assistance”, – he said. – “The U.S. has offered humanitarian assistance to Iran and Venezuela. That also applies to North Korea”, – Pompeo said.
“In reality, the situation is such that the countries that wanted to provide assistance to Iran have done so. Therefore, we believe that the current measures [sanctions] are absolutely proportional”, – said the Secretary of State.
“We understand that this is a humanitarian crisis”, – he said.
“But we also keep in mind that, first of all, the leaders of States should be responsible for their own population, making good decisions for them”, – said Pompeo. He believes “Iran is the world’s leading player in terrorist financing.”
“And if history teaches us anything, it’s that the Iranian people may not see the money [humanitarian aid], the money will go to corrupt officials rather than Iranians to buy medicine. Such actions have a long history”, – the secretary of state said. – “They take the money earmarked for humanitarian aid and put it in their own pocket and the pockets of their terrorist representatives”, – Pompeo said.
“We want to improve the lives of Venezuelans, Iranians and North Koreans, we are doing everything to support them”, – he said.