Iranian Warships Arriving in the Americas is Bigger than Boats, Analysts Say

Iran may be fulfilling its promise to place warships into the Panama Canal by the end 2023. But analysts believe that is only the beginning.

Brazil granted two Iranian warships permission to anchor off Rio de Janeiro’s beaches. This event took place between February 26th and March 4th, causing controversy among democracy-loving nations in the region.

Security and political experts say that the arrivals of warships are a result of new leftist leaders, which have been sweeping across Latin America recently.

Iran capitalizes on strong ties with socialist regimes throughout the region.

“The big picture here doesn’t look good,” Brazil’s former minister of foreign affairs, Ernesto Araujo, told The Epoch Times.

Araujo expressed concern at seeing his homeland open the doors to Iranian warships. “I’m very concerned as a Brazilian and as someone who has an idea of what Iran is up to in the world.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva—commonly known as Lula—embraced the arrival of the vessels IRIS Makran and IRIS Dena on Feb. 26 after more than a month’s delay.

This timing wasn’t a coincidence. It was a strategic holding due to Lula’s plans to visit U.S. president Joe Biden Jan. 13.

Brazilian defense ministry documents show that the warships had been originally constructed. authorized to be allowed into Rio de Janeiro the day after Lula’s Biden Visit.

U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned On February 3, both the Makran (and the Dena) were denied entry to Brazilian waters. Washington also pressed Lula for Brazilian entry, simultaneously.

Lula allowed port entry for the ships. Lula’s administration was even more generous by participating in a celebration on board the Dena, Feb. 28, 2008.

Araujo stated that multiple top-ranking Brazil officials were in attendance at the event. A local media report confirmed this. confirmed. It was a celebration of 120 years’ worth of diplomatic relations between Iran & Brazil.

Washington already knew of Iran’s intention to build warships right in America’s backyard.

In January, naval Rear Admiral Shahram Irani told the Tehran Times that Iran’s military would station warships at the Panama Canal before the end of the year. Irani claimed that this maneuver was intended to “strengthen our maritime presence in international waters.”

“The army navy has been present in all the strategic straits in the world to date, and we have not been present in only two straits. We will be present in one of these straits this year … We are planning to be present in the Panama Canal,” Irani asserted.

Araujo doesn’t seem to be the only Brazilian politician not to celebrate the arrival of Iranian warships into Brazilian waters.

The following are some of the highlights from an interview Former President Jair Bolsonaro spoke to The Epoch Times. “If I were president, these warships would not be there.”

However, even though the Lula administration clearly ignored U.S. security concerns, America’s response was mostly neutral.

Ned Price, State Department spokesperson, told The Epoch Times that he was speaking at a press conference. “Countries are going to make their own decisions. The Monroe Doctrine is a legacy of history. It is not something that the United States espouses.”

Brazil price noted “close democratic partner of the United States,” But, “warships like these have no place in the Western hemisphere, given the signal it sends.”

“We want to continue to work with our Brazilian partners to send the right message to Iran, to others who would pose a threat, pose a challenge to our collective interests around the world,” The price was not disclosed.

Price dodged the question about whether Brazil will be under U.S. sanctions after hosting Dena and Makran.

Regional security experts say that a muted response from the Biden administration and U.S. sanction will not hinder Iran’s efforts to join the West.

“Make no mistake, Iran is challenging [the] U.S. at home, on its own turf,”  Irina Tsukerman, security analyst and the owner of Scarab Rising, told The Epoch Times.

“This ship in Panama signals Iran’s expanding reach, not only in terms of physical relations with these countries but its willingness to chase [the] United States out of its own neighboring vicinity,” Tsukerman said.

“It’s a demonstration of Iran’s growing influence and U.S. weakness and receding impact.”

Her statement added that Iran would do more than just pay for an apology. “occasional visit” Region in the long-term.

Regional analyst and author, Dr. Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, agrees the arrival of Iranian warships is the harbinger of something bigger.

One of these changes is the shift in geopolitical priorities for the region.

“There is an evident process of institutionalization of Iran’s geopolitical presence in Latin America,” Boronat spoke to The Epoch Times.

Step by step

Since decades, Iran has been forming alliances and supporting regimes throughout Latin America.

It includes supporting political campaigns by leftist leaders and the construction of nuclear weapons in countries that have socialist regimes.

A U.S. Senate assembly was established in 2012. noted The security alarm was raised when Iran gained more influence over Latin America.

Iran is particularly friendly to those countries who are looking for outside investment and humanitarian assistance.

According to the report, Iran’s relationship in Latin America with the countries of the region was ascribed by the assembly. “serious concern.”

“Iran has developed, in the last two decades, a clear strategy towards Latin America,” Boronat spoke. “The presence of Iran in Venezuela has occurred through a very solid commercial and financial exchange.”

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro urged for an announcement in January. “consolidation” Regional integration and a new geopolitical force.

He said that Argentina, Colombia and Brazil had supported the socialist regimes of Brazil. “special new hour is coming to unite the efforts and paths of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Maduro proclamated his decision on January 13, when Brazil gave initial permission for Iranian warships dock in Brazil. Lula also met Biden in the United States.

“Iran’s economic and recruitment activity in Latin America was always geared towards building up its proxies and strengthening local leftist movements,” Tsukerman said.

“What’s new is … [Iran’s] willingness to expand its naval capabilities. Thus, for the first time, showing a capacity for endangering maritime security, potentially blocking access to ports, and putting a target on U.S. vessels and others operating in the vicinity.”

Tsukerman stated that the long-term presence of Iran in Latin America was the modern equivalent of Soviet missiles to Cuba.

Araujo in Brazil believes that Lula is playing an a “double game” Of all kinds. It is the political equivalent of that old expression, have your cake but eat it too.

Araujo stated that Lula is trying, “Be on good terms with both the democratic West and the totalitarian East.”

Security Red Flags

One week before Irani boasted the arrival of warships to the Panama Canal in the coming months, Iran’s President Raisi vowed revenge for the death of the country’s general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed during a U.S. drone strike on Jan. 3, 2020.

“The Americans must know that revenge for martyr Soleimani’s blood is certain, and the murderers and perpetrators will have no easy sleep,” Raisi made these remarks during a Tehran speech.

And then, there were warships.

The confederacy of autoritarian powers is pursuing increasing geopolitical ambitions, as evidenced by the incident. It includes Russia, China, Iran and China. They appear to collaborate closely with the United States to destroy the rules-based international order.

Iranian President Ebrahim Rashi visited China during February. He met Chinese Communist Party (CCP), leader Xi Jinping. Both leaders remain steadfast in supporting embattled Russian President Vladimir Putin.

China Daily is a state-owned Chinese media outlet said Xi and Raisi were discussing a topic at that time. “comprehensive cooperation plan” The expansion of their businesses “strategic partnership.”

It is similar in language to what the CCP uses to refer to Russia’s support.

Xi and Raisi issued At the time, there was a joint declaration calling for an end to all international sanctions against Iran and for cooperation on issues of nuclear nonproliferation. The regime also has demanded International sanctions against Russia, for attempted invasion of Ukraine by it be lifted and are “illegitimate.”

The leaders of the above authoritarian powers said They did so last September. “promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.”

Boronat states that America faces a variety of threats from Iran, China and Russia within its borders. All three countries have strong alliances with Latin America.

“It’s an additional challenge amid the growing tension the United States faces with autocracies and dictatorships. Today, the main battlefield for democracies is Ukraine. There, the United States faces Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea,” He stated.

“They are dictatorships with nuclear potential or with the aspiration to access it. Iranian warships in the Panama Canal pose a challenge far from that battlefield and close to the United States.”