Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil has issued a formal condemnation of recently imposed United States sanctions targeting both Venezuela and Iran. Through a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) profile, Minister Gil characterized the measures as ‘unilateral coercive measures’ that stand in direct opposition to international law. He asserted that the primary objective of these sanctions is to escalate pressure and aggression against the two nations.
This diplomatic rebuke follows reports confirming that the U.S. government has enacted sanctions against a total of ten entities and individuals operating within Iran and Venezuela. The White House justification for these financial penalties cites alleged involvement in the advancement of Iran’s unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) trade and its ballistic missile development program. U.S. authorities have labeled these programs as significant threats to national security interests and the stability of its allies throughout the Middle East region.
In an official release, the U.S. Department of the Treasury provided further context, stating that these new sanctions are designed to reinforce measures previously re-established by the United Nations. These UN sanctions specifically target Iran’s nuclear development activities. This stance is starkly contrasted by the position of Tehran, which maintains that its nuclear program is exclusively intended for peaceful, civilian purposes and is in full compliance with international non-proliferation agreements. The move signifies a continuing deterioration in diplomatic relations between the involved nations.