Desdemona promises to help Cassio win back Othello's trust and respect. Desdemona attempts to do this by reminding Othello that Cassio helped him to woo her,Othello is already doubting Desdemona and this action just pushes him further towards the belief that something between Cassio and Desdemona is happening behind his back. It also makes Othello feel insecure , we already know that he doesn't think that he's a good speaker 'rude am I in my speech' he thinks of Desdemona as better than himself and treats her with a lot of respect when compared with how Iago treats Emilia. Othello feels as if he is loosing Desdemona which makes him more vulnerable. Cassio is well spoken and attractive and Othello has a negative view of himself as he is black, and 'declined in the vale of years'. This makes Desdemona's innocent attempt to help a friend seem suspicious to Othello.
Iago reminds Othello that he's inferior. He tells Othello that in 'Clime', 'Complexion' and 'Degree' he's inferior to her. Due to Desdemona's race and status and social attitudes to gender it was scandalous that she had married a black man as interracial relationships were rejected and without it being consented to by her father. Iago also tactfully reminds Othello of this too, because she deceived her father to marry him surely she could deceive her husband.
If Othello hadn't been as insecure and filled with self hatred and doubt he may have not viewed Desdemona's attempt to help a friend as a criticism of himself. Iago's claims probably wouldn't have been taken seriously either if the general rejection of otherness wasn't reinforced by society.
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