Iran, Venezuela vow stronger ties, condemn US pressure tactics
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In a phone call, Iran and Venezuela’s foreign ministers explore expanded cooperation in trade, technology, and multilateral diplomacy amid rising regional tensions.
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A demonstrator holds Iranian and Venezuelan national flags during a government-organized march for peace amid the Israeli aggression on Iran, in Caracas, Venezuela, June 25, 2025 (AP)
Iran’s top diplomat spoke with his Venezuelan counterpart on Tuesday night to review the state of relations and explore deeper cooperation across economic, trade, and technological sectors.
During the phone call, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Iván Gil assessed ongoing partnerships and outlined areas for expanded engagement. Both officials underscored the need to strengthen collaboration not only bilaterally but also at multilateral forums and through broader South-South initiatives.
The two ministers also exchanged views on recent developments in the Caribbean and Latin America, touching on wider international trends shaping the region.
Araghchi condemned what he described as Washington’s “bullying approach” toward Venezuela and other independent developing nations in the Western Hemisphere. He argued that threatening the use of force against a sovereign state constitutes “a clear example of a gross violation of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and the peremptory rules of international law.”
US belligerent unilateralism under fire
He added that the international community has a collective responsibility to uphold the UN’s principles and objectives in the face of what he called the US belligerent unilateralism.
Araghchi also warned about the “Zionist regime’s movements” in the Caribbean and Latin America, calling them a serious threat to the region’s peace and stability. He stressed the duty of governments to pursue accountability for Israeli officials “who are being prosecuted for committing genocide and other heinous crimes.”
For his part, Gil Pinto thanked Iran for its consistent positions and voiced support for strengthening the strategic partnership between Tehran and Caracas. He highlighted the resilience of the Venezuelan government and people in facing what he described as ongoing illegal US pressure and meddling.
US expands Caribbean war drills, Venezuela warns of rising threats
The remarks come as the United States conducted an unprecedented naval and aerial drill across the Atlantic and Caribbean fronts, escalating pressure on Venezuela.
According to journalist Madelein Garcia, the large-scale exercise featured command-and-control, intelligence, bombing, and combat aircraft launched from the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier. The maneuver stretched over Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and Colombia, extending into northern Venezuelan airspace.
Venezuelan defense sources characterized the mission as a “disproportionate and crude” provocation carried out under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
Named Operation Southern Spear, the US' mobilization is viewed by Venezuelan authorities and regional analysts as a direct step toward the militarization of the Caribbean. Local reports estimate the cost at around $10 million for a roughly 12-hour deployment, considered the largest US air operation in the region in nearly three months.
Caracas maintains that the US' deployment is designed to undermine regional peace and stability, while far-right opposition figures have publicly echoed Pentagon talking points.
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