[R-G] Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela -- the Axis of Unity

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

<http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2007/julio/lun2/venezuela-and-iran.html>
Havana, July 2, 2007
Venezuela and Iran to strengthen ties of cooperation

<http://www.rnv.gov.ve/noticias/?act=ST&f=3&t=48839>
Irán y Venezuela colocan primera piedra de empresa para producir metanol

Los presidentes venezolano e iraní, Hugo Chávez y Mahmud Ahmadinejad,
sellaron la alianza entre los respectivos países con la puesta de la
primera piedra de una empresa conjunta para la producción de metanol
en Irán.

Véase también:
Nacen 14 nuevos acuerdos de cooperación entre Venezuela e Irán
Prensa Web RNV/ Agencias

2 Julio 2007, 12:44 PM

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Los presidentes venezolano e iraní, Hugo Chávez y Mahmud Ahmadinejad,
sellaron la alianza entre los respectivos países con la puesta de la
primera piedra de una empresa conjunta para la producción de metanol
en Irán.

En el proyecto, que se pondrá en marcha en las costas del Golfo en
Assaluyeh (sur), participarán a partes iguales Irán y Venezuela,
explicó a los periodistas en Assaluyeh, Mohammad Hassan Peyvandi,
director de planificación y desarrollo de la industria petroquímica
iraní.

El proyecto tendrá un costo total de 700 millones de dólares y una
capacidad de producción de 1,65 millones de toneladas anuales de
metanol durante los próximos cuatro años.

Un proyecto similar, y también con un costo parecido, será puesto en
marcha en Venezuela, agregó Peyvandi.

El objetivo de esta cooperación es hacer que la instalación iraní abra
los mercados paquistaní e indio a Venezuela, mientras que la planta
que se construirá en suelo venezolano debe facilitar el acceso al
mercado latinoamericano a los iraníes.

El Presidente Chávez llegó el sábado a Teherán al frente de una
delegación formada por los ministros venezolanos de Energía, Economía,
Relaciones Exteriores, Industria y Comunicaciones.

En el encuentro que mantuvo el domingo con su homólogo iraní, el
Presidente Chávez afirmó que la "oleada anti-imperialista" es "muy
fuerte, especialmente en América Latina".

"Las bases de la opresión mundial se han debilitado y la victoria
puede lograrse con la resistencia", subrayó por su parte el mandatario
Ahmadinejad.

El Presidente venezolano le respondió que "la cooperación entre países
independientes, concretamente Irán y Venezuela, tendrá un efecto
importante en la derrota del imperialismo y la victoria de los
pueblos".

Con motivo de la ceremonia referente a la futura planta de producción
de metanol, iraníes y venezolanos tienen se firmarón otros contratos,
entre ellos uno para la construcción de 7.000 viviendas, según la
televisión estatal iraní.

Irán y Venezuela, miembros de la OPEP, también manifestaron su deseo
de desarrollar su cooperación en el sector de la energía.

Irán es el cuarto productor de petróleo de la OPEP y Venezuela un
miembro importante de esa organización.

<http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-22/0707014329184504.htm>
Pillars of world arrogance shaky, president
Tehran, July 1, IRNA

Iran-Venezuela-President

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday that pillars of the world
arrogance are unstable, and resistance would bear fruit.

Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with Venezuelan President
Hugo Chavez, saying, "The world arrogance is getting weaker thanks to
the anti-imperialism movement worldwide, particularly in American
countries."

He further pointed to Iranian policy of expanding ties with
independent countries of Latin America, and said Iran and Venezuela
enjoy abundant potentials in different sectors for cooperation.

"Iran and Venezuela can expand their cooperation in various sectors
including establishing joint ventures, holding exhibitions of goods,
and setting up joint investment fund," he noted.

Chavez, for his part, elaborated on the latest situation in Latin
American region, saying cooperation among independent countries
including Iran and Venezuela will be effective to deal with
imperialism and save the other nations.

He said that the Latin American countries are willing to use precious
experiences of Iran in different arenas.

The Venezuelan president has welcomed Iran's participation in ALBA
movement (Bolivarian Alternative for Latin America) as an observer,
underlining that Iranian nation has been successful in its way of
resisting the policies of imperialism.

AN/1416

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/01/AR2007070101004.html>
Iran to Join Latin American Trade Deal

By NASSER KARIMI
The Associated Press
Sunday, July 1, 2007; 8:08 PM

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran plans to join a Latin American initiative
designed to counter U.S.-led efforts for free trade in the region, the
Web site of the Iranian president's office reported Sunday as
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez visited the country.

The report said Chavez welcomed Iran's observer membership in the
Cuban-Venezuelan alternative to the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
It did not specify exactly what observer membership would entail, but
illustrated the growing relationship between Venezuela and Iran, whose
leaders have strongly condemned U.S. policies.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, left, talks with his Iranian
counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during during their meeting, in
Tehran, Iran, Sunday, July 1, 2007. An unidentified translator sits at
center. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) (Vahid Salemi - AP)

"The pillars of world arrogance have been shaky. Victory will be
realized by resistance and steadiness," Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad said while meeting with Chavez, according to the Web site.

Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro, another U.S. enemy, signed
the deal _ known by its Spanish acronym ALBA _ in 2005 to counter
Washington's efforts to expand free trade with Latin American
countries. It contains much leftist rhetoric and few specifics, but
was followed by closer economic ties between the two leaders.

Although the FTAA stalled in 2005, Washington since has signed nine
free trade agreements with Latin American countries.

"Cooperation between independent countries such as Iran and Venezuela
will have an effective role in defeating imperialism," the Web site
quoted Chavez as saying.

Ties between Iran and Venezuela have been growing stronger. Chavez has
defended Iran's disputed nuclear program, dismissing U.S. concerns
that Tehran is secretly trying to develop atomic weapons.

"Political interests and close regional and international stances are
among the important factors that help to continue this close
cooperation," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini
told reporters Sunday during his weekly press conference.

Chavez arrived in Iran on Saturday for a two-day visit, as part of a
three-nation tour after stops in Russia and Belarus. His visit is the
third to Iran in the past two years.

<http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2007-07-02T215835Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_India-282862-1.xml&archived=False>
Iran, Venezuela in "axis of unity" against U.S.
Mon Jul 2, 2007 10:07 PM IST

By Parisa Hafezi

ASSALOUYEH, Iran (Reuters) - The presidents of Iran and Venezuela
launched construction of a joint petrochemical plant on Monday,
strengthening an "axis of unity" between two oil-rich nations
staunchly opposed to the United States.

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez and Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who both often
rail against Washington, also signed a series of other deals to expand
economic cooperation, ranging from setting up a dairy factory in
Venezuela to forming an oil company.

"The two countries will united defeat the imperialism of North
America," a beaming Chavez told a news conference during an official
visit to the Islamic Republic, which the United States has labelled
part of an "axis of evil".

"When I come to Iran Washington gets upset," he said.

The two presidents -- whose countries are members of the OPEC oil
producing cartel -- earlier attended the ceremony to start building a
methanol facility with an annual capacity of 1.65 million tonnes on
the Islamic Republic's Gulf coast.

"Iran and Venezuela -- the axis of unity," read one of many official
posters at the site near the port town of Assalouyeh, showing the two
leaders hugging each other and shaking hands.

Ahmadinejad -- who came to power two years ago pledging to revive the
values of the 1979 Islamic revolution -- hailed the event as a step
towards boosting "brotherly" ties of the two "revolutionary" nations.
Iran is embroiled in a worsening nuclear standoff with Western powers.

WESTERN "BARBARIANS"

Chavez, who last week pushed two U.S. oil giants out of his country as
part of his self-styled socialist revolution, said: "This is the unity
of the Persian Gulf and the Caribbean Sea."

Iranian officials said a second methanol plant would be set up in
Venezuela. Each would cost about $650 million to $700 million and take
four years to complete. Methanol is an alcohol which can be used as a
solvent or an element in fuel.

That would help Iran to access the Latin American market, while
Venezuela would get closer to buyers in India and Pakistan.

Chavez, who wants to forge an alliance of leftist states to counter
U.S. policies, arrived in Tehran on Saturday after visiting Russia and
Belarus.

In comments certain to please his hosts, who have often called on the
United States to leave Iraq, Chavez branded those invading Iran's
neighbour as "barbarians", drawing parallels with the European
colonisation of Latin America centuries ago.

"Those who try to convince the world that in Iran there are a bunch of
barbarians are barbarians themselves."

Iran's hardline Kayhan daily said the two countries were riding on a
"global anti-imperialism wave."

But both also face economic challenges.

Iran sits atop the world's second-largest oil and gas reserves, but
U.S.-led efforts to isolate it over its nuclear ambitions are hurting
investment in the sector, analysts say.

The Islamic state rejects accusations it is seeking to build atom
bombs, saying it only aims to generate electricity.

Chavez last week forced U.S. oil majors from Venezuela, seizing
oilfields from Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips.

But economists caution his social spending, mainly paid for by state
oil company PDVSA, could run into trouble as Venezuela battles to
maintain oil output after the exit of the majors. The opposition
complain his anti-Americanism scares off investors.

--
Yoshie