TEHRAN, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) – Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned the United States’ military operation against Venezuela, including the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro, during phone calls with his Cuban and Brazilian counterparts.
According to statements released Monday night by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Araghchi discussed the latest regional and international developments as well as bilateral ties with Cuba’s Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla and Brazil’s Mauro Vieira.
Araghchi described the U.S. action as a “flagrant violation” of the United Nations Charter and international law. He urged all governments and the UN to clearly oppose Washington’s “dangerous law-breaking,” warning that such unilateral actions jeopardize the foundations of the international law-based world order and risk normalizing the use of force against sovereign states.
Echoing this stance, Rodriguez denounced the U.S. “illegal” interventions in the Caribbean and Latin America, specifically the invasion of Venezuela and the abduction of its president, which he said undermined regional security. He emphasized Cuba’s determination to resist foreign threats and called for strengthened cooperation among friendly nations to counter “belligerent” unilateralism.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Vieira also criticized the U.S. operation as a “clear violation” of the UN Charter, noting that the matter would be addressed in upcoming meetings of the UN Security Council, the Organization of American States, and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
The statements from the three ministers highlighted the importance of closer bilateral and multilateral cooperation among developing countries, particularly within the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter and the Non-Aligned Movement, to oppose unilateral actions and uphold international law.
The U.S. military reportedly struck Venezuela on Saturday, capturing President Maduro and his wife and transferring them to the United States. The U.S. has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean for months, largely near Venezuela’s coast, officially to combat drug trafficking—a claim Caracas has rejected, describing it as an attempt to force regime change.
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