Iran hints at Venezuelan nuclear tie

Iran hints at Venezuelan nuclear tie

Aljazeera
Infosearch:
Máximo Tomás
Research Dept.
La Nueva Cuba
February 17, 2006

Iran is open to helping Venezuela develop nuclear technology for
peaceful purposes, but the two Opec members have not yet held talks
about such cooperation, an Iranian lawmaker says.

Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president and an ardent critic of the US
government, is backing Iran's right to develop nuclear fuel despite
international community opposition to Tehran pursuing its atomic programme.

Gholamali Haddadadel, Iran's parliament speaker, said: "Although we have
not had any conversations until now with Venezuelan authorities, we
would be willing to study the possibility."

Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil exporter, last year said it was
interested in developing nuclear technology with the possible help of
Argentina, Brazil or Iran for civilian energy and medical purposes.

Venezuelan capability

Venezuela had a small research reactor that was closed more than a
decade ago and is now used for food irradiation and sterilisation.
Experts say nuclear development could take Venezuela as long as 10 years
of investment and training.

The Iranian delegation stressed
a nations' right to nuclear power

The Iranian delegation visiting Venezuela to boost ties between the two
nations signed a joint statement ratifying "the right of all nations to
make peaceful-use nuclear energy" and condemned the "imperialism" of
foreign powers.

Iran on Tuesday confirmed that it had restarted uranium enrichment that
it insists will only be used for peaceful civilian purposes despite US
and European fears that the technology would be used to create nuclear
weapons.

Possible sanctions

Venezuela joined Syria and Cuba this month at the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) in opposing the UN watchdog's decision to send the
Iran nuclear energy dispute to the UN Security Council, which could
impose sanctions.

Chavez's growing ties to Iran have only made Washington more wary of the
former army colonel turned populist president, whom the US accuses of
using the nation's oil wealth to destabilise democracy in the region.

The Venezuelan leader says the United States is meddling in democracies
in the region, and accuses the US State Department of sponsoring a brief
coup against him in 2002. He has promised a socialist revolution to end
poverty and promote the integration of Latin American nations.

Common factor

The US signalled on Wednesday a broadened diplomatic offensive against
Iran, claiming Tehran posed a "strategic challenge" to the world on
several fronts beyond fears over its nuclear programme.

Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, testifying before a Senate
committee, heralded stepped-up efforts to muster international action
against Iran's alleged support for terrorism and human rights abuses at
home.

She said she would travel to Egypt and the Gulf next week for talks with
Washington's Arab allies on how to contain a government she says is bent
on "political subversion, terrorism, and support for violent Islamist
extremism".

Farsi radio

Rice said the administration would seek an additional $75 million from
the US Congress to fund around-the-clock Farsi radio and television
broadcasts, and other efforts to promote Iranian democracy.

"Will work to support the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom
and democracy in their country"

Condoleezza Rice,
US Secretary of State

"The United States will actively confront the aggressive policies of the
Iranian regime," she said. "At the same time, we will work to support
the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom and democracy in their
country."

US officials said they were trying to expand their approach to Iran
which for the past two years had been focused on suspicion the country
was secretly trying to build a nuclear bomb.

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