Fired State Dept. official condemns ‘radical’ US stance on Israel’s war on Gaza

A former senior Iranian press officer at the US State Department, who was fired amid internal disputes over the US narrative on the Israeli war in Gaza, has publicly condemned Washington’s “radical” and “problematic” stance in support of the occupying regime.

Shahed Ghoreishi made the remarks during an exclusive interview with the program “Democracy Now!” in Washington DC on Saturday, his first public comments after he was dismissed from the State Department earlier this week.

Ghoreishi explained that he believes three events led to his firing, despite his goodwill in the bureau and his belief in the importance of basic US interests and human decency in his role at the State Department.

One of the reasons for his dismissal, he said, was his drafting of a line for a press release in response to the controversial Israeli plan to relocate hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza, which read, “We do not support forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.”

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Additionally, Ghoreishi suggested expressing condolences for the well-known Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif of Al Jazeera, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a press tent in Gaza.

However, the State Department immediately replied that it could not extend condolences, citing Israeli claims that he was a member of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas. 

“I have an issue with relying on Israelis for every intelligence and comment. So, we should be able to pause and evaluate things. If they had said, “Hey, we’re going to wait 48 hours and confirm,” that could be one thing, but immediately deferring to the Israelis is highly problematic,” the former top press officer said.

He also recommended a line expressing mourning for the loss of journalists and offering condolences to their families, which was also rejected. 

Furthermore, Ghoreishi mentioned that cutting the line regarding “Judea and Samaria” and using the West Bank instead during a press conference was the third reason for his dismissal

During his remarks, Ghoreishi expressed concern about the aggressive language used in the press context, emphasizing the importance of showing more empathy and concern, which is just basic press advice.

He also warned about the “chilling effect” caused by the actions of individuals like David Milstein, a top adviser to the US ambassador to Israel, as well as the secretary’s office, especially on those who might offer advice or raise concerns. 

Ghoreishi also mentioned his intention to continue speaking out in the future, with a focus on highlighting the increasing radicalism of US policy and its language. 

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Additionally, he indicated that he plans to flag these issues and make people aware of them for the time being, while also considering his future plans.

Ghoreishi was terminated on Monday, following internal disagreements regarding US policy on the Palestinians in Gaza.

He was fired days after disagreements over key Trump administration policies, including the controversial plan approved by the Israeli war cabinet to escalate the ongoing genocidal war, which could displace thousands of Palestinians from their homes or result in potential fatalities.

Ghoreishi had drafted a statement asserting that "the United States does not support the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza."

The Washington Post reported on the development late Wednesday, citing US officials and reviewing documents.

The State Department did not elaborate on the reasons for his termination but suggested he had strayed from the White House agenda.

Ghoreishi, a graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), informed the Post that he was not provided with a reason for his dismissal from the State Department, where he was employed on a contractual basis.

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