The recent military operation by the Trump administration, which led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, marks a significant blow to Iran, a staunch ally of Venezuela, according to experts.
Amid ongoing anti-regime protests in Iran, Jason Brodsky, policy director at United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), who has extensively documented Maduro’s activities, shared his insights with Fox News Digital. Brodsky remarked, “Maduro’s capture is a setback for Iran’s strategic interests in the Western Hemisphere. He has been a steadfast ally of Tehran, united by a shared stance against imperialism and American influence in the region.”
Brodsky further explained, “The extent of this setback hinges on who succeeds Maduro. Venezuela has served as a base for Iran and Hezbollah, facilitating terrorism, drug trafficking, and exerting influence throughout Latin and South America.”
In a notable meeting from November 23, 2015, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro met with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during Maduro’s visit to Tehran for the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). (Press Office/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Brodsky continued, “Iran’s military ties with Caracas, especially concerning drones, are significant. Therefore, Tehran is likely monitoring these developments closely. The region’s dynamics had already shifted after Bolivia’s presidential election brought a center-right leader to power, who renewed diplomatic ties with Israel.”
Fox News Digital previously reported in November that as the Trump administration intensified military actions in the Caribbean and cracked down on criminal networks linked to Caracas, Iran was actively supporting Maduro’s regime.
Brodsky said, “This will be a strike heard around the world. Iran’s regime will be watching it very closely as President Trump threatened the supreme leader during the 12-Day War. This historic strike adds to the perception of President Trump being unpredictable and risk-ready, which inspires fear in U.S. adversaries and bolsters the credibility of the threat of American military force. This strengthens U.S. deterrence.”
Ex-Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (L) welcomes Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro (3rd L) at Sadabat Palace in Tehran, Iran on June 11, 2022. (Photo by Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Photo by Iranian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images))
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the American military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.”
Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian expert on Iran, told Fox News Digital that “Every fall of a dictator who is allied with the Ayatollahs is both a boost to the morale of the people in Iran and a setback for the ruling mullahs.”
The then Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, from left front, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, gather for the official group photo at the 17th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Porlamar, on Venezuela’s Margarita Island, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) (The Associated Press)
He added that, “The Islamic Republic saw its ‘axis of resistance’ fall apart in the region. Now it’s witnessing its partner in crime further away toppled. This will seriously damage the regime’s revenues and resources. Many of the ruling officials must now be tempted to defect before it’s too late.”
Iran’s axis of resistance was the troika alliance consisting of the now-defunct Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and the weakened Hezbollah terrorist movement in Lebanon.
