Caracas- Mass media in Brazil and Venzuela reported that Tehran and Caracas developed a program to manufacture Cruise missiles. Veja Magazine said it received a document that reveals Iran supporting a Venezuelan program in 2009 to develop missiles and chemical compounds following the sanctions imposed on Tehran then.
Security Expert Joseph Humire told Asharq Al-Awsat that around twenty Iranian operations were conducted in North America and that there are several military deals sealed by Iran that seem to be legal but actually imply other motives.
“Iran signed a considerable number of military deals with Latin countries, especially ALBA countries, through members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and this boosted Iranian military cooperation there,” said Humire .
Humire added that this type of agreements usually cover unannounced programs to develop weapons.
“In 2009, Iran contracted for five years with Venezuela to repair air force weapons. Venezuela had the opportunity to benefit from Canada maintenance services but Iran insisted to handle this project despite the sanctions imposed on it,” continued Humire.
Humire also told Asharq Al-Awsat that Iran, through the Houthis and the so-called Hezbollah, is working tightly with North America. He added: “Recently discovered documents, that reveal involvement of Houthis in transporting weapons from Brazil to Yemen, is an enough evidence.”
Humire said that other pieces of evidence show that the so-called Hezbollah is involved in the illegal weapons trade in Brazil especially that these militias have connections with Brazilian criminal organizations known as PCC (Primeiro Comando da Capital which means First Command of the Capital).
In the same context, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited earlier this month six Latin countries, majority of them from the ALBA. This visit reflects Iran’s interest in establishing strategic cooperation with these countries and not an economic one.
Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978, Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs, offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials, as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.
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