TEHRAN – Iran has warned that the recent surge in American military activity in the Caribbean and across Latin America threatens regional stability and undermines international peace, and called on Washington to respect Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmail Bacaei said in a statement Saturday that the United States’ threat to use force against the internationally recognized Venezuelan government is a clear violation of international law. He added that the move violates core principles of the United Nations Charter, including the right of states to self-determination and the prohibition of the use of force under Article 2(4).
Citing the findings of various international organizations, Bakkai condemned the US attack on a Venezuelan fishing boat as an illegal act amounting to extrajudicial killing. He criticized the United States for “misusing counter-narcotics operations” as a cover for violating Venezuela’s borders and interfering in its internal affairs.
Bakuayi also stressed that the United Nations and the Secretary-General must act to prevent policies that endanger world peace and encourage unilateral aggression.
The United States has sent warships and thousands of troops to the Caribbean since August, saying the mission targets drug cartels in Latin America. The US military claims to have attacked suspected human trafficking vessels at least 20 times in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean, killing 80 people, an operation that human rights groups have denounced as extrajudicial killings.
U.S. military activity in the region continues to expand. In late September, five F-35 jets were seen landing in Puerto Rico after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 10 F-35 jets to strengthen the US presence in the Caribbean. The U.S. government is also sending the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has denied US allegations of involvement in drug trafficking, saying the US is using the accusations as a pretext to seek regime change and seize control of the country’s vast oil reserves.