Iran is experiencing difficult times: a failing economy, a costly nuclear program, a corrupt theocratic regime and devastating economic sanctions. In this context, Tehran is seeking support from Cuba, Venezuela and Brazil. Just a few days ago, Iranian Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf concluded a tour of Latin America in a desperate attempt at regime survival.
Although Iran has expressed interest in negotiations and reaching agreements with the West, this would be an ideal time to increase pressure and break a regime that has caused great harm to Israel and Latin America.
In Venezuela, Ghalibaf met with dictator Nicolas Maduro, a ruler who has been accused of providing assistance to terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, cooperating with Iran on a drone factory and nuclear energy.
During his visit to Caracas, Ghalibaf highlighted the “strategic alliance with Venezuela” and delivered a donation of 2.3 million vaccines as part of bilateral cooperation. The Iranian parliamentarian also met with young university students to educate them on the fundamental role of both tyrannies in the so-called new world order.
Iran has been a key ally for Venezuela in oil matters, particularly in exports and the exchange of supplies to dilute heavy oil. Venezuela has often had to pay its debt to Tehran in gold. Both countries are in economic disarray, as the majority of their resources are channeled into their heavily repressive systems.
Ghalibaf’s tour of Brazil is one of the most worrying. Brazil has intensified its antisemitic rhetoric to while hosting an Iranian delegation with an opaque and dangerous agenda. During his visit to Brazil, the Iranian spokesperson participated in a forum of the BRICS countries — the acronym referring to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
Iran wants to circumvent sanctions and sees a golden opportunity in the BRICS. At the parliamentary forum, Tehran raised the need to strengthen the BRICS payment mechanism and advance exchanges in national currencies. Last month, Brazilian leaders met with Iranian authorities to reaffirm Brazil’s support for the regime’s nuclear energy program, showing its closeness with the theocratic government.
Ghalibaf also met with Cuban dictator Miguel Diaz-Canel. Like Venezuela, Cuba is experiencing one of its worst economic crises. Iran wants to strengthen its political and diplomatic alliance with Cuba to change the narrative regarding the nuclear threat posed by the ayatollahs’ regime.
Iran and Cuba agreed to advance cooperation for the training of experts in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Unlike in past decades, Iran does not have the capacity to promise $200 million in credit lines to Cuba. War, corruption and sanctions have brought Tehran to its knees.
In both Cuba and Brazil, the Iranian delegation insisted on harmonizing the legal framework to promote trade and establishing a parliamentary task force to document sanctions and promote lobbying in international bodies.
Iran’s sad, opaque tour of Latin America confirms that this is a good time to put an end to its terrorist regime. A drone factory and the presence of terrorist groups in Cuba and Venezuela should be a matter of deep concern and action. This grave threat cannot continue to be ignored.
The closeness of Brazil — one of the world’s largest economies and a member of the G20 — to Iran and its political attacks against Israel deserve stronger and more forceful condemnation. This is a serious issue and a real threat.
Iran has fewer allies and is economically devastated. Its allied militant groups are being defeated by Israel. Now is a golden opportunity to put an end to a fundamentalist regime that has brought misery to its people and terrorism around the world.
Arturo McFields is an exiled journalist, former Nicaraguan ambassador to the Organization of American States, and a former member of the Norwegian Peace Corps. He is an alumnus of the National Defense University’s Security and Defense Seminar and the Harvard Leadership course.