TEHRAN – Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto has expressed his gratitude to Iran for voicing solidarity with his country.

In a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, the top Venezuelan diplomat underlined the government and people of his country are set to defend their national sovereignty and right to self-determination in the face of the United States’ “bullying and illegal policies”, according to a readout published by Iran’s foreign ministry. 

The Iranian foreign minister, in turn, denounced the United States’ military aggression against Venezuela as “state terrorism and flagrant violation of the Venezuelan people’s national will and sovereignty.”

On Saturday, American warplanes attacked Venezuela, striking positions in the capital, Caracas, and several other regions. U.S. forces also stepped foot in Venezuela in a blatant violation of international law, and abducted President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were taken to American soil. The escalation follows nearly four months of U.S. strikes against what it described as drug boats in waters near Venezuela. The attacks have killed over 100 people, whom Washington has not yet been able to identify.

The U.S. aggression has triggered global condemnations. President Donald Trump has accused President Maduro of being involved in drug trafficking, an allegation strongly dismissed by Caracas, and mocked by analysts around the world. Hours after the attacks, Trump declared that Washington will "run" Venezuela and exploit its vast oil reserves, though he provided few details on how the U.S. will achieve this. Trump administration officials somehow believe that the natural resources on Venezuelan territory belong to the United States, accusing Caracas in recent weeks of having "stolen" American oil. Analysts and observers have yet to decode the logic behind that assertion.

The Venezuelan government has promised to stand against Washington’s aggression and exploitation plans. Vice President Delcy Rodriguez slammed the kidnapping of Maduro, saying he is “the only president of Venezuela”. The Latin American country’s Supreme Court has now ordered Rodriguez to serve as Acting President.

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Monday on the matter, with Secretary General Antonio Guterres saying the U.S. actions set “a dangerous precedent”.

During the Saturday phone conversation, Araghchi condemned President Maduro’s abduction as a “textbook example of state terrorism”, reaffirming Tehran’s backing for the people and democratically elected government of Venezuela.

A second exchange between Tehran and Caracas came on Sunday. Iran’s Ambassador to Venezuela Ali Chegeni told his colleagues in Iran that all “Iranian expatriates in Venezuela are in full health,” adding Iran’s embassy stands ready to offer any kind of assistance to Iranian nationals residing in the country.

He made the remarks in a phone talk with Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, who, in turn, appreciated efforts by the ambassador and staff members of the Iranian Embassy in Caracas and was briefed on the latest developments in Venezuela.

Baghaei said Iran condemns the United States’ military aggression against Venezuela and the violation of the South American country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He recalled the legal and moral responsibility of all governments and international organizations, especially the United Nations and the UN Security Council, to put an immediate end to Washington’s illegal military aggression, saying the necessary measures should be adopted to hold accountable the masterminds and perpetrators behind the crimes committed during the U.S. attacks.

The United States' intervention in Venezuela is already triggering international shockwaves. Following this weekend's strikes, gold prices—which saw their most significant annual surge since 1979 with a nearly 70% increase in 2025—are anticipated to return to the forefront of market attention. Analysts also forecast a sharp rise in silver prices in the near term.

Also, jitters have spread across Latin America, with nations fearing that a successful outcome in Venezuela will embolden Trump to destabilize their countries and expropriate their resources. Dr. Foad Izadi, a professor of American Affairs at Tehran University, believes that if Washington succeeds in imposing its desired order in Venezuela, its focus will likely shift to Cuba next. "Colombia and Nicaragua could be the third and fourth targets," he added.

Further analysis suggests Denmark's Greenland is another objective for the Trump administration should it prevail in Venezuela. Since re-entering office last January, Trump has repeatedly stated his belief that Greenland should belong to the United States. Canada, which Trump has suggested would be better off as an American state, is also considered a potential target.