Dubowitz Remarks on Iran Show US Talks on Human Rights Are Empty: American Scholar

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An American university professor said recent remarks by Mark Dubowitz about the spread of coronavirus in Iran show that Washington’s talks on “democracy and human rights are mere empty talk meant to deflect from their own crimes against humanity”.

“Mark Dubowitz, as representative of the decadent US imperialist ruling class has no concern for the people of Iran, China or any other nation. They also lack any concern for the people of the US. He and those he represents are only interested in preserving their own power and privileges at the expense of the world’s people. All their talk of freedom, democracy and ‘human rights’ are mere empty talk meant to deflect from their own crimes against humanity and divert attention away from their continued aggression throughout the world,” Dennis Etler, a professor of anthropology at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California, told Tasnim in an interview.

Following is the full text of the interview.

Tasnim: Mark Dubowitz, Chief Executive of Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), said on Twitter Tuesday that coronavirus has halted Iran’s non-oil exports, achieving “what American economic sanctions could not.” Why do you think some US officials are cheering for this deadly Virus to spread - and enjoy seeing Iranian people suffer?

Etler: Mark Dubowitz, as representative of the decadent US imperialist ruling class has no concern for the people of Iran, China or any other nation. They also lack any concern for the people of the US. He and those he represents are only interested in preserving their own power and privileges at the expense of the world’s people. All their talk of freedom, democracy and “human rights” are mere empty talk meant to deflect from their own crimes against humanity and divert attention away from their continued aggression throughout the world. It should come as no surprise that they cheer on every disaster that strikes the people of Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela or any other nation that has stood up to US bullying and subversion. Their economic sanctions are meant to inflict sufficient pain on the countries they target to motivate their people to support US efforts at regime change to install a Quisling government that will kowtow to US demands and become a willing client of US imperialism. The feigned concern they express for the welfare of the Iranian people is exposed for its mendacity by their chortling glee at their suffering.

Tasnim: In another outrageous and unfounded claim, Dubowitz said that Tehran has “spread terrorism” in the Middle East and “now it’s spreading the coronavirus.” Do you believe it is Tehran that is spreading terrorism in the region?

Etler: According to Dubowitz and his ilk, the founding fathers of the US should be considered terrorists, as King George and the British considered them at the time of the American War of Independence. Likewise, the French resistance fighters against German occupation during WW2 should be considered terrorists, as they were by the Nazis. It is the US that has spread terrorism in the Middle East in collaboration with Israeli and Saudi Arabian Zionists. If anything, it is the US that should be held suspect for spreading the coronavirus, even though its spread is in keeping with the natural spread of a viral pandemic.

Tasnim: Growing economic pressure on Iran has hampered the country’s efforts to confront the outbreak of coronavirus as health bodies face restrictions importing test kits to detect the infection. What are your thoughts on this?

Etler: The US will use whatever means it can to wage war against its self-proclaimed enemies. It will try and take advantage of whatever difficulties its adversaries encounter. The history of the US shows it has no regard for morality or decency so its attempt to hamper Iran’s efforts to combat the coronavirus epidemic should come as no surprise.