George Floyd Protests: Unlikely Country Urges US To 'Stop Violence' Against Americans

Amid tense international relations, a top Iranian official on Monday urged the U.S. to “stop violence” against American citizens. The comments come amid protests across the U.S. after 46-year-old African-American George Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25 after a white police officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.

"To the American people: the world has heard your outcry over the state of oppression. The world is standing with you," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said at a news conference.

"And to the American officials and police: stop violence against your people and let them breathe," he continued. "We deeply regret to see the American people, who peacefully seek respect and no more violence, being suppressed indiscriminately and met with utmost violence."

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has also chimed in on the issue.

“The “knee-on-neck” technique is nothing new: Same cabal—who've admitted to habitually ‘lie, cheat, steal’—have been employing it on 80M Iranians for 2 yrs, calling it 'maximum pressure.’ It hasn't brought us to our knees. Nor will it abase African-Americans,” Zarif tweeted. In another post, he called on “the entire world to wage war against racism.”

“Maximum pressure” refers to the ongoing U.S. policy of sanctions against Iran. Tensions have been high between Washington and Tehran, after President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in May 2018. The deal reduced sanctions against Iran in exchange for international monitoring of the country’s nuclear program. In November 2018, the U.S. renewed sanctions that were lifted under the JCPOA.

In June 2019, Iran struck down a U.S. drone over the Strait of Hormuz, causing further tensions. In January, the U.S. assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani at Baghdad International Airport, with Iran shooting missiles at American military bases in Iraq in retaliation.

After the Soleimani killing, Iran accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane leaving Tehran. In response, Iranian protesters took to the streets, with Trump urging the Iranian government to not kill demonstrators.

“To the leaders of Iran - DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching,” Trump tweeted on Jan. 12. “Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people!”