A top aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Washington seeks to keep Latin America under its control, pursuing a "backyard" policy that dates back to the Monroe era.

"Today, the United States faces a legitimacy crisis not only in the Middle East but also in Latin America and East Asia," Ali Akbar Velayati, Khamenei's adviser on international affairs, told Iran's state media in an interview published on Tuesday.

Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department for comment.

Why It Matters

Iran has condemned increased U.S. military activities near Venezuela . U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated the U.S. military's counter-narcotics posture in the southern Caribbean region, carrying out multiple strikes on vessels alleged to be trafficking drugs from Venez

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