State Department criticized for sending ‘condolences’ after death of ‘monster’ Iranian president Raisi

The US State Department found itself playing defense on Monday after a spokesman offered“official condolences” for the death of Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi, alleged to have been responsible for ordering the murders of Iranian dissidents and brutal crackdowns on protesters.

Matthew Miller was sharply questioned by reporters at his daily briefing over the statement, which bore his name and was released minutes before the briefing took place.

In his response, he noted that the US had made similar statements after the deaths of other leaders with bloody records, such as Josef Stalin. He also insisted that the statement “in no way — in no way at all undermines” the State Department’s criticism of the Iranian government on issues of human rights and US opposition to Iranian support for various militant groups across the Middle East.

Reporters pressed Miller over whether the statement was aimed at softening ties between the US and Iran at a crucial moment for the region, or whether it was in any way related to backchannel communicationsreported to be occurring between US and Iranian diplomats in Oman. Miller would not confirm the existence of those talks, and denied that the statement was part of any broader political aim.

Miller noted Raisi’s history of alleged involvement in gross human rights abuses against the Iranian people, before adding: “That said, we regret any loss of life. We don’t want to see anyone die in a helicopter crash. But that doesn’t change the reality of his record, both as a judge and president of Iran, the fact that he has blood on his hands.”

“There isn’t one person you can think of whom the United States did not want to see [killed] in an air accident?” The AP’s Matt Lee quipped back in response. “Ever?