The religious thugs who rule Iran are spewing venom at the US, to shore up their sense of honor after accepting our aid, and to keep the people’s anger focused on the Great Satan: U.S. Criticized Over Iran Relief Efforts.

“The Americans, by publicizing their aid to Iran, have ineptly tried to implement their duplicitous policy of creating a rift between the Iranian nation and government,” state radio said in an unattributed commentary, adding that “our people’s solidarity” will stop that from happening.

Iranian radio said recent conciliatory remarks from top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, were aimed at concealing Washington’s anti-Iran policies at a time when the world’s attention is focused on the devastation from the quake.

“One should therefore not trust the expression of opinion, speeches and other optimistic signals that are sent by the American foreign policy authorities toward Iran from time to time,” the radio said.

Instead of sending “meager aid” to help quake victims, Washington should unfreeze billions of dollars of Iranian assets, the radio commentary said.