Experts maintain that the Trump administration’s military operation resulting in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro represents a significant setback for the South American nation’s long-term ally, the .

As Iran endures another day of anti-regime protests nationwide, Jason Brodsky, policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI)—who has documented Maduro’s malicious activities—told Digital, “It is a blow to Iran’s interests in the Western Hemisphere, as he was a longtime ally of Tehran under the banner of anti-imperialism and Americanism in the region.”

He noted, “The severity of this blow will depend on who assumes power after Maduro. Iran and Hezbollah have used Venezuela as an operational hub for terrorism, drug trafficking, and power projection in .”

He added, “Iran also had a military partnership with Caracas, particularly regarding drones. Thus, Tehran is likely monitoring these developments with great caution. Its regional interests were already weakened following Bolivia’s presidential election, which brought a center-right leader to power who reestablished relations with Israel.”

In November, Digital reported that the Islamic Republic was just as the Trump administration escalated military pressure in the Caribbean and expanded its crackdown on criminal networks tied to the Caracas regime.

Brodsky stated, “This will be a globally resonant strike. Iran’s regime will be watching closely, as President Trump threatened the supreme leader during the 12-Day War. This historic action reinforces the perception of President Trump as unpredictable and willing to take risks, which instills fear in U.S. adversaries and enhances the credibility of American military threats. This strengthens U.S. deterrence.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the American military and the flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Potkin Azarmehr, a British-Iranian expert on Iran, told Digital, “Every fall of a dictator allied with the Ayatollahs both boosts the morale of the Iranian people and deals a setback to the ruling mullahs.”

He continued, “The Islamic Republic saw its ‘axis of resistance’ crumble in the region. Now it is witnessing the toppling of a partner in crime farther afield. This will severely harm the regime’s revenues and resources. Many ruling officials may now be tempted to defect before it is too late.”

Iran’s axis of resistance was a tripartite alliance consisting of the now-defunct Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria and the weakened Hezbollah terrorist movement in .

‘ Efrat Lachter contributed to this report.