News - World: Iran has warned that the recent escalation of US military movements in the Caribbean and Latin America poses serious risks to international peace and security, calling for respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement on Saturday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the US threats to use force against Venezuela’s legally elected government are a blatant violation of international law.

He also noted that such actions constitute a serious breach of the principles of the UN Charter, particularly the right of nations to self-determination and the prohibition of the use of force as stipulated in Article 2(4).

Pointing to multiple reports issued by international bodies, Baghaei slammed US attacks on Venezuelan fishing vessels as instances of unlawful and extrajudicial killings.

He underlined the need to end the misuse of counter-narcotics operations as a pretext for violating Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The diplomat also underscored the responsibility of the United Nations and its Secretary-General to prevent actions that undermine global peace and security and to curb the spread of unilateral and aggressive policies on the international stage.

Since August, the United States has deployed a fleet of vessels and thousands of troops to the Caribbean, under the pretext of combating Latin American drug cartels.

The US says it has carried out at least 20 strikes against alleged drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific, killing 80 people. Rights groups have slammed the attacks as extrajudicial killings. 

Later in September, five F-35 fighter jets were spotted landing in Puerto Rico following US President Donald Trump's recent order to deploy 10 of these stealth fighters to bolster military presence in the Caribbean.

The US has also deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, and five accompanying destroyers to Latin America, prompting Venezuela to mobilize its troops and deploy warships, drones, and aircraft.

While rejecting the accusations of involvement in drug trafficking, the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been emphasizing that Washington is using narcotics allegations as a pretext to pursue Washington’s plan for a “regime change” and seize control of Venezuela’s oil wealth.

Washington’s allies, the United Kingdom and Canada, have distanced themselves from the drive.

The UK has suspended sharing of maritime intelligence with the US over concerns that Washington was using British-provided information to carry out deadly and unlawful military strikes on so-called drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean.

Canada, another long-standing US partner in such operations, has also distanced itself from the strikes. While continuing to cooperate with the US Coast Guard under Operation Caribbean, Ottawa has formally instructed Washington not to use Canadian intelligence in any lethal operations.

Germany and Switzerland have also called for a peaceful solution to the escalating situation.

Source: Press TV