Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is locked in a tense standoff with the United States, has embarked on a Latin American tour here, making his first stop in Venezuela for talks with his ideological “brother,” President Hugo Chavez. The trip will also include visits to Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua, countries controlled by governments critical of Washington.In Caracas, the two leaders were expected to sign a series of new trade and economic cooperation agreements.“Iran and Venezuela are two important allies on a global level, the two countries have important industrial and oil projects which we will follow up in this trip,” Ahmadinejad said before flying from Tehran, according to the state-run IRNA agency on Saturday.Ahmadinejad has heaped praise on Chavez for his outspoken support of Iran’s disputed nuclear program, which the US and European governments say is part of a project to build atomic weapons.Facing sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council over its uranium enrichment work and the threat of international isolation, Iran is keen to demonstrate it has backing among a number of leftist leaders in Latin America.Chavez is the most vocal cheerleader in Latin America for Iran and its hardline president, with both men calling each other “brother” and relishing their status as fierce opponents of Washington’s influence.In September 2005, Venezuela was alone in opposing a resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that found Iran in violation of nuclear safeguards. Since then, Chavez has backed to the hilt Iran’s right to enrich uranium.Iran and Venezuela are both important players in OPEC.
