U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated Washington does not impose sanctions on humanitarian assistance to countries like North Korea, Iran and Venezuela, while criticizing their respective leadership for failing to prioritize public interests.

Pompeo was responding to a question during a press conference on Tuesday on whether the U.S. would consider easing sanctions for such countries to assist them amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

He said humanitarian assistance, such as deliveries of medical devices, equipment, pharmaceuticals and items needed in the current crisis, does not fall under sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council or the United States.

Pompeo then accused the countries' leaders of building bombs and their missile and nuclear capabilities while their people are starving.

He argued that the decisions they make are often not in the best interest of their people and are harmful.

Stressing that the U.S. is deeply committed to ensuring humanitarian aid gets to those who need it, Pompeo said the U.S. often cares more about the people in those countries than their own leaders.