CHAVEZ PRAISES IRANIAN ASSISTANCE AND DEFENDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CARACAS 000777 SIPDIS SIPDIS HQSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2017 TAGS: PREL PGOV KDEM VE SUBJECT: CHAVEZ PRAISES IRANIAN ASSISTANCE AND DEFENDS IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM REF: A. CARACAS 000424 ¶B. CARACAS 000694 ¶C. 06 CARACAS 003345 CARACAS 00000777 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR DANIEL LAWTON, REASON 1.4 (D) ¶1. (SBU) Summary. President Chavez continues to increase his political support for Iran and facilitate Iran's plans to establish closer relations with the rest of Latin America. Chavez vigorously defended Iran's nuclear ambitions at a recent international women's conference hosted by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) in Caracas and described UN sanctions against Iran as "unfair." He and other senior BRV officials are publicly warning the United States to "forget about" plans to invade Iran (sic). Meanwhile, visiting Iranian Vice Minister of Foreign Commerce declared on April 15 that Venezuela is the base from which Iran will seek to "implement an industrial revolution in and forge strategic relationships with" the rest of Latin America. End Summary. -------------- Chavez Extols Benefits of Iranian Cooperation -------------- - ¶2. (U) During the April 15 "Alo, Presidente" program, President Chavez inaugurated in Zulia State a newly built milk-processing plant. Chavez heaped praise on Iran for helping Venezuela modernize its technology, specifying that Iran was not only providing equipment but "transferring technology and experience" so the country could be self-sufficient. Chavez showed off the facility to Bolivian President Evo Morales as an example of the benefits of being "free from the empire and able to have relations with whatever country it wants (sic)." The leaders and the Iranian ambassador to Venezuela talked about other planned Iranian-Venezuela and Iranian-Bolivian projects, and also exchanged ideas on how Venezuela and Iran could help Bolivia, particularly in the energy, infrastructure, and agricultural fields. ¶3. (U) The inauguration coincided with the second annual Iranian Industrial Fair at Fort Tiuna military base, which also received prominent coverage on the April 15 "Alo, Presidente" show. Basic Industry and Mining Minister Jose Khan, accompanied by Iranian Vice Minister for Foreign Commerce Bhedi Ganzafrani and a representative from the Iranian Ministry of Industry, gave Chavez a virtual tour of the fair. Khan said that some 22 Iranian representatives from the housing, petroleum, milk processing, and construction sectors were participating in the fair. He also noted that Ganzafrani had brought a separate delegation of businessmen to discuss other potential areas for future cooperation. During his intervention, Ganzafrani announced Iran's intention to "use Venezuela as its base to implement an industrial revolution in and forge strategic relationships with all of Latin America." -------------- Chavez Defends Iran's Nuclear Program -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Chavez has also defended Iran's international image over the past month. During an April 12 episode of "Alo Presidente," Chavez told an international women's conference meeting in Caracas that UN sanctions against Iran were "unfair," and he reiterated Iran's right to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes. He defended Iran's nuclear program again on April 15, and accused the USG of continuing to threaten Iran as it had in the past with "invasions, conspiracies, and terrorism (sic)." He said the "U.S. empire" should "respect the people of Iran and of the world. . . and international law." ¶5. (SBU) The Venezuelan president also suggested the United States "forget about" invading Iran, saying that "it is better that it not even occur to (the United States) to invade or attack Iran," as it would "accelerate the crumbling CARACAS 00000777 002.2 OF 002 of the American empire's bases around the world and on this continent." Similar sentiments in support of Iran have been echoed by other parts of the BRV recently, including the National Assembly, which passed a resolution in late February condemning U.S. "war preparations" against Iran (Ref A). In addition, Vice Foreign Minister for European Affairs Rodrigo Chaves, citing the Venezuelan president, said in early April that Venezuela "would not be indifferent to unilateral U.S. aggression against Iran." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Venezuela and Iran have steadily increased commercial and political ties over the past few years (Refs B and C), and officials from both countries frequently cite the many agreements the two countries as tangible proof of growing ties. Most of these agreements have yet to be implemented, however, and only a handful of joint projects, such as the milk-processing plant in Zulia State and the VenIran tractor assembly plant inaugurated in 2005 in Bolivar State (Ref C), are currently operational. Nevertheless, the Iran-Venezuelan relationship continues to bear watching, as both governments seek to strengthen the political and economic bonds between them. BROWNFIELD