U.S. admiral warns of Tehran’s efforts to expand its influence in South America
Reported by PMO/MEK
Feb. 10, 2019 - Senior U.S. officials are increasingly pointing out the destabilizing role of the Iranian regime and its proxy the Lebanese Hezbollah in Latin America and Venezuela, and they warn about the threat and consequences of Iranian meddling to the west and the United States.
“Iran has deepened its anti-U.S. Spanish language media coverage and has exported its state support for terrorism into our hemisphere,” said Admiral Craig Faller, head of of U.S. South Command, on Thursday.
“As the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world, Iran’s activities in the region are also concerning,” the Admiral’s written statements read to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Iran is also looking to reenergize its outreach after reducing its efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years. It has deepened its anti-U.S. influence campaign in Spanish language media, and its proxy Lebanese Hezbollah maintains facilitation networks throughout the region that cache weapons and raise funds, often via drug trafficking and money laundering. Last September, Brazil arrested a Hezbollah financier in the tri-border area near Paraguay and Argentina, and in recent years Paraguay, Peru, and Bolivia have arrested multiple Hezbollah-linked suspects,” he added.
When asked what they are doing to stall and contain Iranian malicious activities in the western hemisphere, he said: “We are increasing cooperation with partners to better understand, expose, and counter the malign activities of Russia, China, and their authoritarian allies. We are also working more closely with other U.S. combatant commands and the Joint Staff to ensure that globally integrated plans and operations are informed by threats and opportunities in this hemisphere. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s globally integrated planning is exactly the right approach for addressing the transregional, transnational nature of today’s threat environment. Within the region, we have to be on the playing field to compete. The same presence that strengthens our partnerships sends a powerful signal to Russia, China, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua (the six negative state actors) that the United States is committed to the region and to the security of our neighborhood.”
Previously, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had warned about Iranian meddling in Venezuela.
In an interview with Fox News he said: “People are not aware that Hezbollah has active cells. The Iranian regime is effecting the Venezuelan people and the people in all South America.”
“We are committed to decrease this risk for the American people. Part of our talks next week in Warsaw is surely about how we neutralize this risk in South America and the whole world,” he added.
Earlier, the U.S. said that Hezbollah is financing its projects partly through smuggling illegal drugs in Latin America.
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