The Fox News Rundown Evening Edition: The Relationship Between Venezuela, Iran And Hezbollah Terrorists
Jan 7, 2026
Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, offers keen insights into the complex ties between Iran, Venezuela, and Hezbollah. He delves into Iran's military cooperation with Venezuela, including drone transfers and defense strategies. The discussion highlights Hezbollah's transformative presence in South America and the historical context of Iran's influence in the region. Ben Taleblu also warns about the U.S. response to ongoing Iranian operations and its implications for future regional security.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Venezuela Was A Strategic Iranian Foothold
- Iran used Venezuela as a state-level partner to project influence and bypass geographic limits.
- Removing Maduro severs a key foothold Iran used for logistics, intelligence, and proxy operations.
Operation Showed U.S. Deterrent Power
- The Maduro operation demonstrated U.S. military capability and deterrence in the Western Hemisphere.
- That display alarms adversaries who relied on Venezuela as a permissive space.
From Diaspora Influence To State Partnership
- For decades Iran sought to export revolution across Latin America through political and diaspora networks.
- In Venezuela it shifted from grassroots influence to partnering with a state regime.