U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that Iran continues to engage in illicit activities in Latin America and is “the largest state sponsored of terror” representing “a global threat”.
Pompeo who is on a tour of South American countries, told the Voice of America in an interview in Paraguay on April 13 that "Iranian money remains in South America ... supporting Hezbollah, supporting transnational criminal organizations, supporting efforts at terrorism throughout the region." He added, "We see Iran for what it is: the world's largest state sponsor of terror. That's a global threat."
SEE ALSO: Hezbollah's Presence And Iran's Influence In Venezuela Coming Into FocusHezbollah is believed to have an active network in Latin America, partly used as a financial machine supplying cash to the militant group.
The United States designated Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps as a “Foreign Terrorist Organization” on April 8; a move that has enraged Iranian leaders who moved quickly to reciprocate by designating U.S. military forces as “terrorist”
Iran has also been a big supporter of Venezuela’s embattled president Nicholas Maduro, alongside Turkey and Russia. The U.S. has warned countries around the world not to take steps to prop up the Maduro regime.