Iran, the leading country in state-sponsored terrorism around the globe, is furthering its reach, announcing it will place warships in the Panama Canal this year.
That announcement came on Wednesday from the commander of Iran’s Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani.
“Today, we have a great opportunity in the sea area for the development of the country, and we can turn this gift from an economic capacity into a civilizational capacity by using the maritime capacity properly,” Irani stated, according to the Tehran Times. “Today, the use of the sea is a geopolitical advantage for us, and those who do not have this capacity are suffering from geopolitical suffocation. … So far, we have been present in all the strategic straits of the world and we have not been present in only two straits, in one of which we will be present this year and we are planning to be present in the Panama Canal.”
“We have formed three oceanic commands, including the Indian Ocean Command, the Pacific Ocean Command, and the Atlantic Ocean Command,” he continued. “Today we are present in the Indian and Atlantic oceans and soon we will be present in the Pacific Ocean.”
Joseph Humire, the executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS), told The Washington Free Beacon that Iran’s goal “has always been to have a military presence in Latin America, so it’s not surprising at all for its navy to announce it’s going to make moves on the Panama Canal. … This is a tremendous escalation if it is to happen. Many people may discount Iran in terms of its capabilities … but I would not discount it because they have been building to this for a very long time.”
Iran’s government has been making inroads in South America; last June, Iran and Venezuela signed a 20-year strategic cooperation agreement. In December, Iran signed a similar treaty with Nicaragua.
In August, Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Alberto Franco Franca stated, “We are determined to shore up our relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in different areas, including political and economic areas.”
In October, Bolivia’s ambassador to Iran, Romina Pérez, supported the despotic Iran government as it violently suppressed protesters, tweeting, “Our government condemns the recent riots in #Iran which are orchestrated by the British and American Zionists. We are sure all problems will be resolved through solidarity and the wisdom of the dear Leader of Iran.”
#Bolivia's ambassador to #Tehran Romina Perez: "Our government condemns the recent riots in #Iran which are orchestrated by the British and American Zionists. We are sure all problems will be resolved through solidarity and the wisdom of the dear Leader of Iran." pic.twitter.com/6EMFivATCq
— Living in Tehran (LiT) (@LivinginTehran) October 9, 2022