CARACAS, Venezuela (Jan. 08) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad started an official South American visit from Venezuela on Sunday. Apparently Ahmadinejad is keen to boost the support for Iran in the wake of latest sanctions from U.S. and Europe and he opted to begin with his all-time ally Hugo Chavez.
Ahmadinejad visit to Venezuela, on the other hand, has once again raised the talks about the secret military relationship between two nations. The ghosts of the story published in German newspaper Die Welt in 2009 started to haunt anti-Iran – or more appropriately anti-nuclear Iran - allies.
According to report published in Die Welt; Iran was building a base in Venezuela to counteract any military attacks against them. Although the story was disapproved by Iran and Venezuela, it continues to surface from time to time.
As the recent tour of Iranian supreme commences it has reignited discussion about a possible (secret) link between the two nations which has often been raised yet never been proved stating that “Iran is building intermediate-range missile launch pads on the Paraguaná Peninsula.”
The Jerusalem Post reported in May 2011 that a covert accord - between the two countries Iran and Venezuela - "would mean the Chavez government would fire rocket at Iran's enemies should the Islamic Republic face military strikes."
According to Business Insider the original Die Welt story was disapproved by CNN journalists in May 2011 when they reported "that both the U.S. and Venezuela said there was no evidence of the missile base's existence."
But its worth to remember that Hugo Chavez does support Iran's decision to develop its nuclear program, and Iran has substantial capital investments in the South American country.
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