- Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley rebuked comments from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that blamed US support for a Saturday terror attack on a military parade.
- Haley said Rouhani was ignoring the unrest caused by his administration’s oppression of Iranians, and should “look at his own home base.”
- Both Rouhani and President Donald Trump are expected at this week’s United Nations General Assembly, though the two leaders are not expected to meet.
Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley rebuked comments from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that blamed US support for a terror attack on a military parade Saturday that killed 25 people and wounded 60.
Haley waved off Rouhani’s condemnation of America, and said in the aftermath of the attack, “he needs to look at his own home base.”
“The Iranian people are protesting,” Haley said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday. “Every ounce of money that goes into Iran goes to his military. He has oppressed his people for a long time.”
Haley continued: “He can blame us all he wants, but the thing he’s got to do is look in the mirror.”
Rouhani lashed out at America's support for mercenary countries in the Persian Gulf, saying it helps to "instigate them and provide them with necessary means to commit these crimes."
President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose relevant sanctions crippled the economy and drew ire from leadership, Haley said.
"They don't like the fact that we've called them out," Haley said. "We have called them out for ballistic missile testing. We've called them out for their support of terrorism. We've called them out for their arms sales. And they don't like it."
Despite the tensions, Haley contradicted Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani's claims from a day earlier the US was seeking a regime change and promised Trump would remain strict with Iranian leadership.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted immediately after the attack Sunday to blame regional countries and their "US masters," calling the gunmen "terrorists recruited, trained armed and paid" by foreign powers, raising tensions in the region amid the unclear future of Tehran's nuclear deal.
"Iran will respond swiftly and decisively in defense of Iranian lives," Zarif wrote on Twitter Saturday.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to "Fox News Sunday" before Rouhani's statement, calling Zarif's comments "an enormous mistake."
"The loss of innocent life is tragic, and I wish Zarif would focus on keeping his own people secure rather than causing insecurity around the world," Pompeo said.
Haley said this week's United Nations General Assembly would be a chance for countries to sort out tension, but Trump isn't planning on a meeting with Iranian leadership, as Rouhani "has to stop all of his bad behavior before the president's going to think he's serious about wanting to talk."
Haley added: "There is no love for Iran here in the United States, and there's no love for the United States in Iran."