Iran Sounds Global Alarm: US Kidnapping of Venezuela’s President Threatens Global Order

By Staff, Agencies

Iran has issued a forceful condemnation of what it described as the “completely illegal” kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, by the United States, warning that the act represents a grave assault on international law and a dangerous precedent for the entire world.

Speaking at his weekly press conference in Tehran on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the US military attack on Venezuela was a blatant violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity and is unacceptable under any circumstances.

He stressed that such actions, if left unanswered, risk turning the international system into a “jungle” governed by force rather than law.

Baghaei said no responsible or sovereign country can remain indifferent to an act of this nature, regardless of where it occurs or who is targeted. He warned that the abduction of a sitting head of state is not something to boast about, but rather a serious crime that will have consequences affecting the entire international community.

He emphasized that the United Nations, the UN secretary general, and especially the UN Security Council bear direct responsibility for defending the principles of the UN Charter. According to Baghaei, the lack of a swift and explicit international response only emboldens aggressors and places the world before a grave and dangerous challenge.

Integrating Iran’s broader position, Baghaei underlined that violations of sovereignty can never be justified. “Without international law and the UN Charter, the world would descend into chaos,” he said, accusing certain powers of deliberately seeking to impose such a reality through military force.

Addressing US President Donald Trump’s renewed push to assert control over Greenland, Baghaei said Iran maintains a firm, principled, and consistent stance on respecting the territorial integrity of all countries. He contrasted this with what he described as the selective and double-standard behavior of some European states, which defend international law only when it aligns with their interests.

“For Iran, the violation of sovereignty—whether in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela or Denmark and Greenland—is unacceptable in all cases,” he said, stressing that Tehran’s position does not change based on political convenience.

Baghaei also responded to interventionist rhetoric from US officials and the “Israeli” entity, stating that such remarks amount, under international standards, to incitement to violence and terrorism. He said the Iranian people have not forgotten the crimes of the United States and the “Israeli” entity, and warned that misleading or provocative statements will not deceive them.

He added that Iran’s armed forces are closely and vigilantly monitoring the country’s borders and do not rely on or trust statements made by the “Israeli” entity. In the same context, Baghaei said remarks by Benjamin Netanyahu and US hardliners regarding Iran’s internal affairs constitute the promotion of violence and terrorism.

Turning back to Venezuela, Baghaei said the US attack and the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife have already shocked many governments around the world. He noted that criticism from some European officials, particularly in France, reflects an awareness of the long-term dangers of such violations.

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated over the weekend that the US military operation leading to Maduro’s abduction violates international law governing the use of force. He warned that no lasting political solution can be imposed from outside and that repeated violations of this principle by permanent members of the UN Security Council would have consequences that “spare no one.”

Baghaei concluded by warning that continued international silence will only deepen instability and normalize aggression. Iran, he said, stands firmly with Venezuela and insists that President Maduro and his wife must be immediately released, stressing that defending sovereignty anywhere is essential to preserving security everywhere.