US envoy Malley apologizes for controversial tweet on Iran’s anti-government protests
The top US diplomat for Iran apologized on Monday for a recent tweet he posted on the anti-government protests, which have spread across Iran for over a month now.
On Oct. 22, US Special Envoy for Iran Rob Malley said the protesters in Iran had been demonstrating for “respect” from the Iranian regime. He was quickly criticized for the tweet, seen as diminishing the protesters’ demands.
“It was a mistake, and I owned up to the mistake. It’s not something that I should do, particularly because it was viewed as diminishing the demands of the protesters,” he said during a webinar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank.
Many calls were made for Malley to step down following his tweet.
“It’s not up to us, it’s not up to me, to characterize what the people on the streets of Iran… want. They’re doing a very good job themselves expressing their demands and their aspirations,” Malley said on Monday.
Malley’s original tweet sparked a backlash from hundreds of Iranians who noted that Iranian protesters are calling for regime change, not for the current regime to respect their rights.
“Marchers in Washington and cities around the world are showing their support for the Iranian people, who continue to peacefully demonstrate for their government to respect their dignity and human rights,” Malley’s original tweet read.
“It was a mistake, and I owned up to the mistake. It’s not something that I should do, particularly because it was viewed as diminishing the demands of the protesters,” he said during a webinar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank.
Many calls were made for Malley to step down following his tweet.
“It’s not up to us, it’s not up to me, to characterize what the people on the streets of Iran… want. They’re doing a very good job themselves expressing their demands and their aspirations,” Malley said on Monday.
Malley’s original tweet sparked a backlash from hundreds of Iranians who noted that Iranian protesters are calling for regime change, not for the current regime to respect their rights.
“Marchers in Washington and cities around the world are showing their support for the Iranian people, who continue to peacefully demonstrate for their government to respect their dignity and human rights,” Malley’s original tweet read.