The US and nine other Western Hemisphere countries denounce the Iranian regime’s ‘lethal plotting’ and pledge greater coordination

The United States, Canada and eight other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean warned Monday, in a joint statement, about Iran's alleged "lethal plotting" in the region.

The text notes that the United States and Paraguay hosted an anti-terrorism forum last month, the CTTF, and states that the 10 signatories wish to condemn "terrorist actions and other malign influence operations in our hemisphere by Iran and its terrorist proxies."

A statement issuing warnings

The document, signed by the United States, Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago, denounces hostile actions that "include a range of Iranian and proxy-sponsored lethal plotting, illicit fundraising, political interference and foreign influence activities, and operations meant to bolster terrorist networks, coerce perceived enemies, compromise legal or administrative processes, and harm regional security."

The signatories state that they are "united in our determination to protect our countries and our people against such threats" and warn: "The Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies must halt these actions now." Furthermore, they pledge to "undertake further measures to halt them" and to "enhance our coordination and cooperation to address this threat."

Background: Convictions, designations and court cases

Monday's alert comes amid growing Western pressure on Iranian networks in the hemisphere. In March 2026, a federal jury in New York found Asif Merchant, a Pakistani citizen, guilty of terrorism and contract killing. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), he admitted that the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) sent him to the United States to organize political assassinations and steal documents, and the plot was foiled before it could be carried out. Merchant faces up to life in prison.

At the institutional level, several countries in the region have tightened their legal frameworks regarding actors linked to Iran. Paraguay designated the IRGC, Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organizations in April 2025, and Argentina did the same with the IRGC in March 2026. These measures come on top of years of Washington's scrutiny of the ties between Iran, Hezbollah and governments such as those of Venezuela and Bolivia, before both countries changed their political course.

Venezuela and Bolivia: Historic hubs of Iranian influence

The Department of State (DOS) has for years identified Iran as the primary state sponsor of terrorism and Hezbollah as its representative in the hemisphere. In January, Reuters reported, citing sources with direct knowledge, that the United States was pressuring Bolivia to expel alleged Iranian spies and to designate the Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organizations.

The same agency reported that, following the capture of former dictator Nicolás Maduro, Washington asked the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez to cut economic and security cooperation with Tehran. A former CIA station chief in Caracas, quoted by Reuters, described Venezuela as the main base for Iranian diplomatic and intelligence operations in Latin America, with Bolivia and Nicaragua as secondary hubs.