Last week, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez made his fourth visit to Tehran in two years to sign more economic agreements with Iran. The Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Chavez, say they “admire” each other. Ahmadinejad calls Iran a second home for the Venezuelan president, and Chavez offers support to the Iranian government.
Last year, several left wing Iranian students and blogs criticized the friendly relations between “socialist” president Chavez and the Islamic Republic, where thousands of socialist militants were executed in the past.
Jomhour, a well-known blogger from Iran and Anthony Loewenstein, a blogger and writer from Australia, wrote about the Chavez-Ahmadinejad relationship and Nikahang, a leading cartoonist and blogger, published the cartoon above.
Which peace, what security?
Jomhour says [Fa] that Ahmadinejad after having met with Chavez, exclaimed: “We have plans to extend peace and security for all nations.”
The blogger writes:
it seems that the meaning of peace and security get really changed or redefined! How Ahmadinejad and Chavez can bring security and peace to other nations when they impose problems and danger on their own people! …In these two States, words do not mean what they should. When Ahmadinejad claims that there is absolute freedom in Iran, and security and peace will be extended to other nations, it sounds like a joke.
The blogger says Chavez has created problems for democracy and freedom in his country, and that Ahmadinejad’s government violates basic human rights and represses regular civil society activists.
“Shameful”
Anthony Loewenstein writes:
During my visit to Iran in June this year, I noted the unhealthy relationship between the Latin American left and the regime of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The international Left have remained generally quiet on this issue, refusing to chastise Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez for cosying up to the Islamic Republic.
My friend, journalist Rodrigo Acuna, has expanded on this argument:
“Although it might be natural for Venezuela, as a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, to have political and trade relations with another OPEC country like Iran, awarding Ahmadinejad the Collar of the Order of the Liberator — Venezuela’s highest honour for visiting dignitaries — as Chávez did in September last year, is not only embarrassing, it is shameful.”
He adds, “for Venezuela’s hard-core supporters in the international Left however, the singing President can do no wrong. The words ‘contradictions’ and ‘inconsistencies’ are not a part of their vocabulary.”
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That cartoon reminded me of those the neo-Nazis use to portray Jews. Interesting.
Ahmadinejad, if I recall correctly, wanted to take his wife and daughter to a futbol match not too long ago. He was told no by the clerics. He wears Western style suits. This should tell you something about him, he’s not as hardline as we are “told” to think. Women are a lot freer in Iran than Saudi Arabia.
I think Chavez admires the Iranian movement to out the West from their country and the President’s adamant unfriendly position toward the US meddling in his country’s affairs.
I also think the ‘left’ is quiet because there is a world-wide movement against the West’s polices and its meddling in other country’s affairs.
We should leave them alone and stop trying to vilify everyone who does not agree. This world will never get any better until people stop trying to make everyone else be the same.
I think you are wrong on several issues: first all people who are not cleric,usually wear like him.Then this kind of wearing IS NOT a sign that he is hardliner or not.
You should NOT compare Iranian womens’ situation to Saudi ones. You should compare Iranian women’s situation BEFORE and AFTER revolution.You see easily they lost a lot of rights including right to divorce,freedom to wear what they like and many other ones.
Crude Awakening: Chávez-Ahmadinejad …
Could Iran and Venezuela act together to cut off oil to the US? And, could such an action generate an oil crisis in the United States? It’s all the buzz in political circles.
…
CHAVEZ AND MULLAHS OF IRAN
Farhat Quam Maquami
Chavez is a smart man but he does not understand that Iranian Shia Mullahs are the antitheses of his Nationalist and populist agenda.
1. Ahmadi Nejad is a no-body, a powerless clown who is public face of the Iranian regime
2, Shia Mullahs are neither nationalist nor have allegiances toward Iranian masses. They are petite bourgeoisie who were installed to power by CIA’s General Huyser. The US just signed a Treaty with the puppet Shia Government in Iraq to protect Shia rule and defend them against Sunnis ( that is over one billion Muslims) in return to 14 permanent Military bases in Iraq. Iraqi regime is the creature of marriage between Mullahs and the US. They were the cheerleaders for the Iraq War!
3. Mullahs have made Iranians a dependant nation economically, culturally and socially. 80 per cent of Iran Gasoline comes from outside!! Most stable food items are imported. The Rulers of Iran have been transferring the Iranian wealth outside from the inception of the Islamic regime!
4. The man who rules Iran economy Rafsanjani is a billionaire who has many corporate entities in the West from Australia to Canada.
5’ Saber-rattling of US against Iran is just a show, as Iranian Mullahs have been following the US free Market strategy since 1979. Iran Government stays in power by regressing the true believers to the 10th century and controlling people by terror. While keeping the Mullahs in control of every facet of the Iranian life That is not what Chavez wan.
Even. the rhetoric of Chavez and Ahmadi Nejad might be the same, ideologically they are world apart
No boycott from any of them , all they want more prices for their oil which is their right!
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