ALWAGHT- Iran cautioned that the surge in US military operations across the Caribbean and Latin America presents grave dangers to global peace, stressing the need to uphold Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned US threats against Venezuela’s elected government, arguing they violate international law and core principles of the UN Charter, including the right to self-determination and the prohibition on the use of force. He also cited reports from international bodies accusing the US of unlawful attacks on Venezuelan fishing vessels.
Baghaei criticized Washington’s use of counter-narcotics operations as a pretext for infringing on Venezuela’s sovereignty, urging the UN and its secretary-general to act against policies that endanger global peace. Since August, the US has deployed troops, naval vessels, and advanced aircraft to the Caribbean, while carrying out lethal strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats—operations rights groups have denounced as extrajudicial killings.
The growing US military presence, including F-35 jets and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group, has prompted Venezuela to mobilize its forces. President Nicolás Maduro has rejected US drug-trafficking accusations, asserting that Washington is using them to pursue regime change and seize control of Venezuela’s oil resources.
US allies have begun distancing themselves from the operations. The UK halted intelligence-sharing over concerns its data was being used for unlawful strikes, while Canada ordered Washington not to employ Canadian intelligence in any lethal missions. Germany and Switzerland have also urged a peaceful resolution to the escalating tensions.
