Posted on 04/27/2010 4:17:47 PM PDT by NotSoModerate
ZIMBABWE - HARARE - Behind the fake smiles and the same old speeches, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was in Zimbabwe to demand money owed to his county for an upgrade of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and the Agricultural and Rural Development Agency about a decade ago.
ZimDaily understands that, behind the scenes, Ahmadinejad was not in a happy mood and he showed this in his demands to have the Trade Fair opening slot changed to earlier so he could leave for Uganda on political business.
ZimDaily also has it on good authority that the Iranian leader was not pleased with the response from the MDC as he had been assured that he would get a full welcome from all parties to the GPA. In the end, it turned into a visit to one political party, and he was livid, sources say.
Ahmadinejad reportedly sent senior members of his Finance team to get guarantees from Zimbabwe on the repayment of a US$15 million loan advanced to ZBC and ARDA for upgrading of equipment and infrastructure.
“Iran was reportedly fed up with constant excuses of poor economic performance and other reasons advanced by Zanu PF, which was in power when the deals were sealed,” said a Zanu PF insider.
Ahmadinejad secured a guarantee from CBZ Bank on the repayment of the loan, which is a condition for future funding for Zimbabwe.
The Iranian leader’s lightning visit was a stopover on his way to American ally Uganda to lobby for support in the United Nations Security Council against sanctions on Iran.
The issue of international political support hardly came up in Zimbabwe except for Robert Mugabe’s lame assertion that Zimbabwe was “fully behind” Iran’s nuclear programme.
Ahmadinejad did not meet Prime Minster Morgan Tsvangirai despite assurances that the PM would “obey” Zanu PF’s demands for him to meet the Iranian despot.
Tsvangirai did not meet the Iranian leader at the airport and he did not attend the opening of the Trade Fair, which Ahmadinejad insisted be brought forward from its usual 2pm time to 11am so he could hurry off and meet Yoweri Museveni – a renowned American ally.
“It is not good that our old man could be made to hop around while jumping through every hoop Ahmadinejad placed before him while the Iranian leader had the large part of his mind on his trip to Uganda.
“Ahmadinejad can blast America in his sleep. He doesn’t even need to think about it and for anyone to celebrate this is disturbing.
“He has actually done our trade no good by coming here. All he wanted was to secure a guarantee for repayment of loans and to be seen to be a supporter of African democracy.
“He got the guarantee, but he did not get the second because Tsvangirai and his team emphatically turned him down,” said the insider.
Mugabe is definitely not pleased with the latest turn of events and his team know they are in for a tough week ahead as he seeks explanations.
Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad will be back in Tehran by the weekend, having successfully added another poor country to his axis of evil.
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM......
ROFL Zimbabwe has no money to give back. Whats the exchange rate these days? About a million to one USD, no joke.
Watch out, Mahmoud, Bobby Mugabe will barbecue your skinny butt!
2 choices...a worthless check or 68 tons of currency.
Hey, a couple of them special Zimbabwe trillion-dollar bills and yer good to go, Shorty. Whatchoobitchinabout?
That is hysterical.
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