Thread by @HeshmatAlavi

THREAD

1)
#Iran's sanctioned FM @JZarif just tweeted citing #Iran's "Journalist Day".

A reminder about how the mullahs' regime treats journalists.

"Iran has been one of the world’s most repressive countries for journalists for the past 40 years."

rsf.org/en/iran

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 2)
"State control of news and information is unrelenting and at least 860 journalists and citizen-journalists have been imprisoned or executed since 1979."

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 3)
“We call for the immediate release of journalists held arbitrarily & urge the regime to stop suppressing the freedom to inform... Obstructing press freedom & arresting journalists do not in any help to combat corruption.”
rsf.org/en/news/iran-a…

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 4)
Iranian journalist Sepideh Ghaliyan was arrested for covering protests by workers on strike and "accused of committing a national security offense in connection with that protest."
voanews.com/middle-east/vo…

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 5)
The Iranian regime's judiciary sentenced a journalist to two years in jail for "spreading misinformation" and "insulting" the mullahs' supreme leader and authorities.
ncr-iran.org/en/news/human-…

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 6)
Journalist & human rights defender Shiva Nazar Ahari appears to have been charged with moharebeh (enmity with God), which can carry the death penalty. She was held solely for the peaceful exercise of her rights to freedom of expression and association.
ncr-iran.org/en/news/iran-r…

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 7)
Iran is ranked 164th out of 180 countries according to RSF’s 2018 World Press Freedom Index.
en.radiofarda.com/a/reporters-wi…

@JZarif @almostjingo @drawandstrike @steph93065 @jjauthor @CarrollQuigley1 @eyad1949 @EmadAlmudaifer @HNIJohnMiller @rising_serpent @GaetaSusan 8)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the Iranian regime’s latest steps to reinforce online censorship, in which two journalists who use social networks have just received harsh sentences – a long jail term in one case and flogging in the other.
iran-hrm.com/index.php/2018…

9)
Miresmaili was found guilty of insulting Islam & gov officials, spreading falsehoods & publishing immoral content.
“There are many faults to this verdic... [Miresmaili] criticized officials in satire but they have considered this as an insult.”
iran-hrm.com/index.php/2018…

10)
Moving on.
@Jzarif uses the term "economic terrorism" & "tying bread & medicine to politics."

Let's take a look.
"Over 80% of Iran's society is living in poverty" according to Deutshce Welle Farsi.
bit.ly/2GIioMm

This is due to 40 years of destructive policies.

@JZarif 11)
Zarif then talks "medicine."
While Iran’s regime & its apologists/lobbyists claim US sanctions prevent the import of medicine into Iran, the mullahs’ state-run outlets boast about the regime’s readiness to send medicine/medical equipment to Venezuela.
bit.ly/2W1tUdb

@JZarif 12)
The regime's own outlets are reporting Iran's regime is exporting medicine to 30 countries

So the regime has medicine. It just chooses to export them for their own benefits. Leaving the Iranian people to suffer.
tehrantimes.com/news/437152/Ir…

@JZarif 13)
A reminder for @JZarif:

The chief of staff of Iran's president has said in a letter that one billion euros ($1.12 billion) in hard currency allocated for importing medicines and essential goods “has disappeared”.
en.radiofarda.com/a/one-billion-…

@JZarif 14)
Here's my take debunking all of the regime's lies about U.S. sanctions preventing the import of medicine into #Iran.
irancommentary.wordpress.com/2019/07/30/ira…

@JZarif 15)
Moving on.

@JZarif sheds light on how terrified the regime in #Iran is of any talks with the U.S.

Why?
Tehran understands that Pompeo's 12 conditions are not cancelled & Trump is definitely not Obama to give concessions.

Negotiations with Trump are poison for this regime.

@JZarif 16)
And you know @JZarif is devastated by recent sanctions when he resorts to ridiculous remarks such as "long after US is gone."

This also shows he is no "moderate," as he is parroting the same extremist rhetoric of Khamenei and the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC).

@JZarif 17)
And BTW, he is what @JZarif won't tell you about his press conference today where he lashed out at Europe:
"The Europeans have commitments under the JCPOA that are not conditioned on results. They must send their companies to work in Iran."

18)
@JZarif:
"[The Europeans] can't say they have lifted the sanctions. They gave 11 commitments & they have not even begun to implement them. They can't claim they didn't know the effect of sanctions."

My take:
#MaximumPressure & US #SanctionsAreWorking.

@JZarif 19)
My conclusion:
It has been proven once again that Zarif, just like all other officials of this regime in Iran, is a liar.

And one last note: While he claims he won't meet U.S. officials for photo-ops, @JZarif loves photo-ops & selfies (but only if his interests are met).