IRAN & VENEZUELA: IS WAR INEVITABLE?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic dominated headlines and the 24/7 news cycle, the Trends Journal had been continuously reporting on overt U.S. efforts to overthrow the ruling governments of Iran and Venezuela.
As Gerald Celente has said many times, “When all else fails, they take you to war.”
IRAN
 Recently, there have been dozens mysterious fires and explosions in Iran, for which Iranian officials have blamed the U.S. and its Mideast ally Israel.
A week ago, a petrochemical facility in Khuzestan Province caught fire, and, last Tuesday, a fire broke out at an aluminum factory in Lamerd in southern Iran.
Last Wednesday, a huge fire burned seven Iranian ships in the port city of Bushehr.
This follows a pattern over the last three months as a number of military and nuclear facilities have been set on fire. Two weeks ago, the country’s largest nuclear facility in Natanz was the scene of a large explosion.
Some Iranian officials blamed Israel, while others cited weather and malfunctioning equipment as possible causes.
In addition to the U.S. and Israel, some analysts surmise that internal anti-government groups are responsible. “There is a belief that those who want regime change in Iran are throwing everything they have at Iran to see which one would stick,” said Foad Izadi, a political analyst in Tehran.
In addition to the firestorms at military and industrial facilities, over 1,000 forest fires have erupted over the past three months. Some suspect arson.
VENEZUELA
On 11 July, President Trump sought to rally support from southern Florida’s Latin American voters stating, “Something will happen with Venezuela. That’s all I can tell you.” President Trump added that Washington “will be very much involved.”
Two days later, U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, revealed additional sanctions on Venezuela. The country is already suffering from the long list of previous U.S.-led sanctions, as well as the new sanctions on any company which tries to import any goods through the blockade.
Mr. Abrams stated, “There are people who don’t cooperate… We’ll go after the ship, the ship owner, the ship captain.”
This follows the extensive U.S. policy aimed at ousting the democratically-elected president Nicolás Maduro and the installment of his political adversary Juan Guaidó.
TRENDPOST: While Juan Guaidó has made extensive trips to foreign countries seeking support as the country’s legitimate ruler, a recent poll reveals only three percent of Venezuelan citizens support his position. Over 80 percent responded that Guaidó’s party lacked any credibility. Furthermore, the U.S. sanctions are responsible for the devastation of the country’s economy and the death of tens of thousands. The sanctions have been condemned by the United Nations as “crimes against humanity.”  
And it’s not just President Trump responsible for the extensive humanitarian crises.
In 2015, President Barack Obama declared a national emergency due to Venezuela’s “unusual and extraordinary threat” to the United States.
Additionally, current presidential candidate Joe Biden has joined the chorus calling for regime change, stating, “It’s time for free and fair elections so that the Venezuelan people can turn the page on the corrupt and repressive Maduro regime. I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy.”
As with President Trump… and the western media, Mr. Biden ignores the fact that President Maduro’s 2018 election victory was certified as fair and legitimate by international observers.