TEHRAN, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday condemned U.S. threats to use military force against Venezuela, saying such actions constitute a blatant violation of fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, and would pose a threat to regional and global peace.
Araghchi made the remarks in a phone talk with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto, during which the two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations and developments in the Caribbean region, according to a statement released by Iran's Foreign Ministry.
The Iranian foreign minister expressed Iran's solidarity with and support for the Venezuelan people and their democratically elected government, noting that the international community bears responsibility for firmly opposing what he described as illegal and unilateral actions.
Referring to the strong relations between Iran and Venezuela across various fields, Araghchi underlined the determination of the leaders of both countries to consolidate and expand bilateral ties based on mutual interests.
For his part, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Gil Pinto thanked Iran for its principled stance and for expressing solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their elected government. He emphasized the resolve of the Venezuelan government and people to defend national sovereignty and independence against external pressure.
For almost four months, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, much of it off Venezuela's coast, purportedly to combat drug trafficking -- a claim Venezuela has denounced as a thinly veiled attempt to bring about regime change in Caracas. ■
