How Iran’s Tour in Latin America Hurts the United States
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is touring through Latin America this week. His five-day visit began on Monday and includes stops in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba, all of which are under United States’ sanctions. Raisi’s goal is to build ties with the region based on a mutual anti-American stance.
Venezuela: Raisi met with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday, signing 25 deals to collaborate on petrochemical projects, build their oil exploration partnership, and expand cooperation in mining.
The two countries want to increase their trade from $3 billion to $20 billion annually. Socialist Venezuela has the world’s largest crude oil reserves but lacks the means to refine it into a usable petroleum product.
Iran has previously helped repair oil refineries in Venezuela. In 2020, it sent Venezuela 1.5 million barrels of fuel to help restart the refineries.
Both governments are working together to evade U.S. sanctions. Raisi said that Iran and Venezuela are “friends” with “common enemies,” referring to the U.S.
He added, “The relationship between Iran and Venezuela is not a normal diplomatic relationship, but a strategic relationship.”
Nicaragua: On Tuesday, Raisi met with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. Both leaders railed over U.S. sanctions during the meeting. Raisi stated, “The United States wanted to paralyze our people with threats and sanctions, but it hasn’t been able to do it.”
Ortega was slammed with new sanctions by the U.S. last year after winning his fourth consecutive term following a campaign in which he had opposition leaders arrested. He virtually ran unopposed.
“Ortega criticized the West, stating that Iran and Nicaragua “had strong roots in the fight against the domination-seeking of the arrogant powers, especially the U.S.”
Ortega openly defended Iran’s “right” to nuclear weapons in February.
The two countries reached an agreement on economic and commercial collaboration and scientific-technological exchange.
Cuba: Raisi is scheduled to meet with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel for the final leg of his trip.
In recent months, Iran has signed 13 cooperation deals with Cuba’s dictatorship, supporting it with technology, food security and oil.
The U.S.’s dismissive stance: The U.S. should be more concerned that the world’s number one state sponsor of terrorism is strengthening ties in its backyard.
It would be bad enough for America to not be worried. What is worse is that the Biden administration repeatedly helps Iran. Currently, it is working toward an unwritten deal where the U.S. will back off pressuring Iran’s nuclear program.
As Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry brings out in Chapter 9 of his free book America Under Attack, this is not a matter of incompetence but of deliberate destruction of the U.S. by its own leaders.
America has lost the pride of its power (Leviticus 26:19). As American hegemony weakens, dictatorial nations are rushing in to fill the power vacuum.
