Israel, Paraguay sign security pact as Sa’ar calls for greater trade ties

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar visited Paraguay on Monday, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding on security cooperation.

“Paraguay is developing major defense capabilities. Israel’s defense industry has experience and capabilities that we want to share with you,” said Sa’ar during a press conference with Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano.

In honor of the visit, the South American nation held a special session of both houses of Congress.

Sa’ar also met with Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña, whom he described as “one of the most impressive leaders on the international stage today.”

He thanked Peña for moving his country’s embassy to Jerusalem—a promise made by his predecessor in 2018—and for designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization as well as the so-called “political” wings of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Sa’ar, with an Israeli economic delegation in tow, noted that Paraguay boasts a “strong and growing” economy with projected economic growth for 2025 at 5.3%.

“In 2023, bilateral trade between Israel and Paraguay stood at $133 million. In 2024, it grew to over 212 million. 2025 is not yet over. It has already surpassed last year’s numbers,” he said.

“Israelis love Paraguayan meat,” he said. A huge proportion of Paraguay’s exports to Israel is meat.

“My visit today is an expression of our belief in Paraguay’s bright future,” he said. “We already trade in technological and agricultural equipment. We want to deepen our cooperation in water technologies, advanced agriculture, cyber, renewable energy and more.”

‘One of Israel’s greatest friends’

Sa’ar spoke of Israel’s targeted killing on Sunday of Hezbollah’s chief of staff, saying: “The world is a better place today without Ali Tabatabai.”

The United States had a $5 million bounty on Tabatabai’s head. The Hamas commander led terror attacks against Israel and had recently directed efforts to rebuild Hezbollah’s terror army, Sa’ar said.

“Over the past year, since the ceasefire, Hezbollah has been working to rearm after the heavy blows it suffered from Israel in 2024,” he said.

Sunday’s IDF operation and its previous ones against Hezbollah didn’t violate Lebanon’s sovereignty because “the very existence of Hezbollah” as the most powerful armed force in Lebanon is a violation of Lebanese sovereignty.

“As long as Hezbollah is not disarmed, Lebanon will remain de facto under Iranian occupation,” the foreign minister added.

Sa’ar called on the Lebanese government to implement its decision to dismantle Hezbollah’s arsenal. So far, it has only made minor inroads, he said. “In fact, Hezbollah is rearming more than it is disarming.”

Sa’ar thanked his hosts for their warm welcome in Paraguay’s capital of Asunción, describing Paraguay as “one of Israel’s greatest friends.”

He stated that the ties between the two countries are based on shared values: “Paraguay’s foreign policy has a clear moral dimension: You voted for the establishment of the State of Israel at the United Nations in 1947. You were among the very first countries to recognize Israel.”