Iranian leader to meet Chavez for talks

Venezuela: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was to hold talks yesterday with his closest Latin American ally, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after he began a five-day tour aimed at shoring up Tehran's ties in Latin America.

The Iranian leader, who is traveling with several of his top ministers, was welcomed with military honors by Vice President Elias Jaua at the airport in Caracas Sunday. Ahmadinejad's coincides with rising global alarm over Tehran's reputed attempts to build an atomic weapon -- a charge Tehran denies.

Chavez said the two leaders will work all day Monday “reviewing cooperation agreements.” “We are not a threat to anyone. We have sovereign rights,” the Venezuelan leader said on his Sunday radio and television program, in an implicit jab at the United States' stated concerns about Iran and Venezuela.

AFP