TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi once again condemned the US military buildup in the Caribbean.
In a telephone conversation with Venezuelan diplomat Ivan Gil Pinto, Iran’s top diplomat touched on the growing danger that America’s “belligerent unilateralism” poses to global peace and stability.
Araghchi also denounced the U.S.’s baseless accusations against the Venezuelan government and Washington’s threat to use force against the country, reiterating the unity between Iran and Venezuela.
His remarks came amid a surge in the deployment of US troops across the Caribbean under the pretext of “counter-drug operations.”
Since late August, Washington has sent warships, reconnaissance planes and special operations forces to the Southern Caribbean, culminating this month with the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group.
The US has also launched dozens of attacks on ships claiming to be drug traffickers, killing more than 80 people, but has provided no evidence to support its claims. Legal experts have condemned the extrajudicial killings of victims by US forces as illegal.
During the telephone conversation, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister presented a report on developments in the Caribbean region following the escalation of the US government’s threats and illegal claims against the country.
He highly appreciated Iran’s solidarity and support for Venezuela, stressing that the Venezuelan government and people are determined to protect national sovereignty and independence from threats from the United States.
A few days ago, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López said that the civil-military alliance would resist pressure on the country by the United States.
He pointed to the determination of the Venezuelan people to defend the independence and territorial integrity of the left-wing Latin American nation.
He also condemned dangerous US actions as creating a clear threat to regional stability, noting that the size and composition of US assets has “nothing to do with the fight against drug trafficking.”
Rather, Padrino López explained, the U.S. military buildup in the region reflects efforts to coerce the Venezuelan state under the guise of fighting drugs.
He told Americans that the Venezuelan people will not bow to American pressure.
The move comes as most Americans oppose the possibility of a military invasion of Venezuela as part of the fight against so-called drug cartels, according to a CBS News poll of about 2,500 Americans.
Seventy percent of respondents opposed military action, and 76% said President Donald Trump’s administration has not clearly explained its position to voters.
Meanwhile, 53% of respondents supported U.S. military attacks on vessels suspected of drug trafficking, but 72% said the U.S. government should provide evidence that drugs were being transported.