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Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei has sharply criticized comments by former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi calling for intensified economic pressure on Iran.

In remarks posted on X on Saturday, Baghaei wrote, “Nancy Pelosi calls on the US administration to ‘cripple’ Iran’s economy so ordinary Iranians—even in rural areas—‘feel the pain.’”

“Deliberately inflicting pain & suffering on civilians for political leverage is the textbook definition of terrorism,” he added, noting, “Only an evil & arrogant mindset can feel entitled to prescribe policies built on civilians' suffering in another country.”

“Legally speaking, this is further evidence of a deliberate & systematic US policy of exacting pain and cruelty on populations it disfavors. Such conduct amounts to ‘crime against humanity.’”