A behind-the-scenes racket game. Iran and Venezuela have gone a step too far. We reveal

The document — which outlined details of how the deal was carried out and was approved by the then defense minister — provides tangible evidence that Venezuela has taken concrete steps to acquire the ballistic missile system.

It outlined how the Venezuelan government planned to funnel funds through state-owned companies to make the purchase happen. It was also explained that the system was to be operated from platforms located on Venezuelan naval vessels.

However, it is unclear whether Caracas would actually complete the deal, given the high risk of aggravated relations with the United States and the financial difficulties resulting from Venezuela's crisis-ridden economy.

Behind the scenes of the blocked transaction

The Trump administration was “aware” of ongoing talks between Caracas and Tehran at the time about purchasing a ballistic missile system, Abrams said.

He added that the United States “made it clear that this was unacceptable,” which ultimately led to a halt to the activities. However, Abrams admitted that he did not know the document detailing the purchase plan.

Elliot AbramsGettyImages

The White House and State Department declined to comment on whether the administration was aware of the January 2020 document.

In August 2020, seven months after the date of the memorandum, Maduro stated in a televised speech that purchasing missiles from Iran “did not even occur to them,” although he added that it would be a “good idea.”

An axis of cooperation that worries the US

Venezuela has had close relations with Iran for decades, including: due to cooperation within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). But it is only in the last two decades that the relationship has begun to raise concerns, especially after the late left-wing populist leader Hugo Chavez strengthened ties with U.S. adversaries. During the governments of Chavez and his successor Maduro, both countries signed dozens of cooperation agreements and jointly defended themselves against criticism and sanctions from the US.

Hugo ChavezMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela

There is no evidence that the Trump administration took into account Iran's influence in Venezuela when Maduro was detained and removed from office in January, but U.S. officials later cited Venezuela's relationship with Iran as one of the justifications for the decision to use military force.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in January that Maduro's detention meant Venezuela would no longer be able to “approach Hezbollah and Iran in our part of the world,” while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum argued in March that Venezuela posed a direct threat to the U.S. because of its military ties to Iran.

The Venezuelan government — through its UN missions in New York and Geneva — did not respond to requests for comment. It was also not possible to directly contact the embassy in Washington or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“This doesn't mean that Venezuela and Iran aren't cooperating — because they are.”

The extent to which Iran's influence in Venezuela poses a real threat to the United States remains a matter of dispute. Some analysts say that while links — including to Iran-backed organizations such as Hezbollah — undoubtedly exist, reports of deep military cooperation between the countries may be exaggerated. In their opinion, Venezuela realized that it could not cross certain limits in the eyes of the US.

The claim that Venezuela is a forward base of operations for Iranian attacks in the Western Hemisphere is greatly overstated. This doesn't mean that Venezuela and Iran don't cooperate — because they do. But even Maduro knew that too close a relationship with Iran was the quickest path to serious consequences

said Geoff Ramsey, a Venezuela analyst at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington.

There were also doubts whether Venezuela had the funds to purchase weapons at all, given the impact of sanctions on the country's economy based on oil exports. Caracas, cut off from much of the global oil market, had increasing problems providing basic goods to its population, which led to a serious humanitarian crisis.

A State Department spokesman recalled Rubio's statement in January before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in which he stated that Venezuela was Iran's “main area of ​​operation in the Western Hemisphere.”

Since Maduro was removed from power, the United States has gained a degree of control over the Venezuelan government through acting President Delcy Rodriguez, making further cooperation with Iran less likely.

Delcy RodriguezMIGUEL GUTIERREZ / PAP

The 2020 memorandum was presented to then-Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, who approved the plan. Rodriguez dismissed him from office on March 18. Padrino Lopez himself could not be contacted.

War limits, but does not close the door

Given that Iran is currently at war with the United States and Israel, it is unlikely that Tehran would have weapons it could supply even if the topic were to come up again.

However, some analysts warn that there is a risk of continued relations between Venezuelan officials and the Iranian regime.

Carrie Filipetti, who served as deputy special representative for Venezuela at the State Department during the first Trump administration, is not convinced that Rodriguez's takeover of power will automatically mean cutting ties with Iran and eliminating threats to U.S. security. In her opinion Rodriguez is just “Maduro in a skirt”and there is evidence that she “received the ambassadors of China, Russia and Iran with great cordiality.”

Abrams noted that questions remain whether Cubans and Iranians present in Venezuela before Maduro's detention have actually left the country and whether their intelligence activities have been “limited” or “completely eliminated.”

Regarding possible further military threats from Venezuela, the White House pointed to Donald Trump's post on Truth Social: “Delcy Rodriguez is doing a great job and is cooperating very well with US representatives. Oil is starting to flow again and I am really pleased with the professionalism and commitment of both countries.”