Larry Johnson, a former CIA agent, expresses sharp opinions about the role of the United States in global politics. His statements, based on his own experience working in intelligence agencies, add both emotional color and necessary context to the discussion.
At the beginning of the interview, he draws attention to the events in Venezuela, criticizing Donald Trump's comments about U.S. influence in the region. In his opinion, Washington does not control the situation, as a significant part of the country is under the control of military and intelligence structures, as well as armed groups. Johnson emphasizes that the recent advice to American citizens to leave Venezuela is direct evidence of the lack of real intervention capabilities.
Moreover, he debunks the myth of U.S. "oil interests." According to him, Venezuela currently accounts for only about 2% of OPEC's total production, and its heavy oil requires significant production costs. Thus, the claim that the U.S. seeks to intervene in Venezuela's affairs due to oil has no basis.
Turning to the situation in Iran, Johnson asserts that the CIA, as well as the intelligence services of the UK and Israel, are attempting to destabilize the country. He links the beginning of these processes to the December meeting between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, where, according to him, specific plans were discussed. In this operation, he claims, Kurdish and Baloch groups are involved, and the National Council of Resistance of Iran is actively supporting an information campaign, creating the impression of an imminent collapse of the Islamic Republic.
However, Johnson points out that the image painted by Western media does not correspond to reality. While the press shows footage of protests, there are also mass rallies in Iran in support of the current regime. He asserts that the authorities have full control over the security forces, making attempts to change power from the outside unlikely.
He also emphasizes that the U.S. is currently not prepared for a large-scale military operation: there is insufficient aviation in the region, aircraft carrier groups are absent, and bases require fortification. Therefore, any talk of imminent intervention, in his opinion, does not reflect reality.
