US and nine nations form coalition to counter Iranian influence

The joint statement, released by the US State Department, follows a security forum held last month in Paraguay. Signatories including Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago claim that Iranian-backed actors are engaged in lethal plotting, illicit fundraising, and campaigns to undermine legal systems across the Americas. While the declaration characterizes these activities as a direct threat to regional stability, it stopped short of detailing specific incidents or naming individual organizations involved in the alleged plots.

Washington views this initiative as a critical step in expanding its security partnerships beyond the Middle East to curb Iranian reach. By aligning these ten nations, the US aims to formalize a unified front against what it labels as Tehran’s state-sponsored aggression. Iran has consistently rejected these accusations, dismissing the claims as a geopolitical ploy by Washington to justify the use of sanctions and military pressure to achieve its own strategic objectives in the region.