Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, righ, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, before an official welcoming ceremony for Chavez in Tehran, Iran , Saturday, July 29, 2006.(AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)
Posted on 07/29/2006 10:36:36 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
TEHRAN, Iran - The presidents of Iran and Venezuela, leading U.S. critics, pledged Saturday to support one another in disputes with Washington, with the Iranian calling Hugo Chavez "a brother and trench mate."
As Chavez arrived for a two-day visit. Iran faced renewed international criticism for its nuclear program and for backing Hezbollah guerrillas in its war with Israel.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council on Friday reached a deal on a resolution that would give Iran until the end of August to suspend uranium enrichment or face the threat of economic and diplomatic sanctions. Iranian state radio said Saturday the government would reject the proposed resolution.
Chavez pledged that his country would "stay by Iran at any time and under any condition."
Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, said he saw in the Venezuelan president a kindred spirit. "I feel I have met a brother and trench mate after meeting Chavez," the state-run Iranian television quoted Ahmedinejad.
Chavez, who peppers his speeches with mentions of assassination plots and purported U.S. efforts to oust him, said he admired the Iranian president for "his wisdom and strength."
He invited Iranian oil companies to invest in Venezuela. Venezuelan state TV also reported that the countries are considering having Iran participate in a natural gas project off the Venezuelan coast. The two nations are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries — Iran is the world's No. 2 oil exporter and Venezuela No. 5.
"We are with you and with Iran forever. As long as we remain united we will be able to defeat (U.S.) imperialism, but if we are divided they will push us aside," Chavez said.
Since taking office in 1999, Chavez has emerged as one of Latin America's most outspoken critics of U.S. foreign policy. He takes his message against what he calls President Bush's "imperialist" government everywhere he goes.
During his trip, Chavez is to meet Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian state television said.
"We do not have any limitation in cooperation," Ahmedinejad was quoted as saying. "Iran and Venezuela are next to each other and supporters of each other. Chavez is a source of a progressive and revolutionary current in South America and his stance in restricting imperialism is tangible."
The Venezuelan leader has been on a trip that included a visit to Belarus, where he met with authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is dubbed "Europe's last dictator" by Washington and shares Chavez's strong anti-U.S. views.
Earlier this week he secured an arms agreement with Russia that prompted U.S. criticism.
Chavez boasted in Moscow on Thursday that Russia had helped his country break a U.S.-imposed "blockade" by agreeing to sell fighter planes and helicopters worth billions of dollars to Venezuela.
Chavez is also hoping to set up Kalashnikov weapons plants and ammunition plants in Venezuela under Russian license.
During his visit to Qatar, which began Friday, Chavez said Venezuela could eventually export guns and ammunition to Bolivia and other allies once these plants were built.
Chavez accused the United States of "threatening" to stop supplying replacement parts for the weapons to leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales' government. If the U.S. follows through, Chavez said, "we could supply Bolivia... and other friendly countries that also require a minimal level of defense."
"Maybe in the future we'll become an (arms) exporting country," Chavez said.
Bilateral trade last year between Iran and Venezuela amounted to $1 billion. Iranian investment in Venezuela includes a production line for tractors and several housing projects.
During his visit, Chavez was to inaugurate the new Venezuelan embassy in Tehran and meet Iranian business leaders. He was also to tour Iran-Khodro, Iran's giant public sector automobile manufacturer. The leaders and top officials were expected to sign memorandums of understanding in various fields.
__________
Associated Press Writer Jorge Rueda contributed to this report from Caracas, Venezuela.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, righ, shakes hands with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, before an official welcoming ceremony for Chavez in Tehran, Iran , Saturday, July 29, 2006.(AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)
"Iranian leader calls Chavez a 'trench mate'"
"Trench mate"?
They are gay lovers?
Trench mate...works for me
Ahmadinejad hugged Chavez like he was his long lost papa - like he doesn't have a friend in the world. It was very weird.
>>Iranian leader calls Chavez a 'trench mate'<<
Then that should be his new knick name.
Caption: The trench mates burst into a duet of "The Sound of Music"
In a few years, he'll change that to the more appropriate "cell mate."
The Democrats already have their 2008 ticket, I see.
"Thank you for the ring!" "Hugo, the world will call us Mr & Mrs OPEC."
Mahmoud and Hugo enjoy a lighter moment at a political rally.
Let's hope one of them isn't female. Who can tell?
Papa!
I try very, very hard not to be hysterical, not to attack people's religions.
But I look at my fellow Americans and I see a nation in denial. I see people who believe--truly believe--that if they don't THINK Islam is out to lop off their heads if they don't convert, then they AREN'T out to lop off their heads if they don't convert. They want so desperately to believe that this is all something George W. Bush made up or some other cotton-headed fantasy of the left and MSM and NYT especially. (In fact, I see Bush in a way many even on FR don't. I think Bush knows damned well what the Islamists are after; he just sees no reason to alarm the US public when he is directing the war overseas.)
I used to think it might take another 9-11 to wake people up. I no longer think that. I think that would only allow people to lash out at BUSH--"This never would have happened if you didn't start with those people! 9-11 was an anomaly, and you forced them to fight back!" or somesuch nonsense.
I think another 9-11 will lead to a very strong appeasment movement in this country, and I mean beyond the DNC/DU gang. My evidence of this is looking at all the appeasment going on in Europe and here, in the cases of bookstores and such bowing to Muslim pressure.
This is a relatively new position for me but I don't think I'm being hysterical, merely realistic. Unfortunately.
Their both very trencherous.
Latrine trench mate!
YOu will be the lovely dust through god will work his purpose. Then we'll cut your head off too infidel.
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