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Wed, Oct 20, 2010 | By Crethi Plethi

President Hugo Chavez meets President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. It's Chavez's 9th visit to Iran. (Photo: Saman Aghvami/ISNA)

Iran Denies Buying S-300 Systems From Venezuela

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez met on Tuesday and called for expansion of Tehran-Caracas relations. In a meeting, the two sides stressed the need to utilize the current potential to increase ties in all areas and also discussed important regional and international issues. Iran denies rumors buying S-300 missiles from Venezuela.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a meeting with Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez in Tehran on Tuesday evening expressed appreciation over the country’s stance on Iran’s nuclear issue and said, “brotherly position of Venezuela in condemnation of sanction of bullying powers against Iran shows deep and strong bilateral relations. Independent countries can change the world’s current conditions through unity and might,” Ahmadinejad said. [ISNA, Tue, Oct 19, 2010]

Chavez arrived in Iran on Tuesday for a two-day visit and it’s Chavez’s 9th trip to Iran. Chavez already visited Belarus, Ukraine and Russia ahead of his trip to Iran, where the Venezuelan leader signed an agreement with Moscow to build Venezuela’s first nuclear power plant. With its burgeoning nuclear program, Iran has shown interest in uranium deposits in Venezuela. [ISNA, Tue, Oct 19, 2010]

At the sidelines of the Ahmadinejad-Chavez meeting, the Sixth Iran-Venezuela Joint Economic Commission meeting was kicked off in Tehran on Tuesday. In the meeting, the two sides reviewed expansion of mutual cooperation in the fields of economy, industry, mining, banking, agriculture, housing, oil and energy. An economic memorandum of understanding (MoU) is to be signed between the two sides’ presidents on Wednesday. [IRNA, Tue, Oct 19, 2010]

Minister of Industries and Mines Ali Akbar Mehrabian (Photo: IRNA)

Minister of Industries and Mines Ali Akbar Mehrabian said on Tuesday that trade between Iran and Venezuela stood at dlrs 3.5 billion. Speaking to reporters, the minister said that Iran and Venezuela have signed dozens of letters of understanding on economic and political cooperation so far. Some 80 industrial and development projects have been implemented in Venezuela by Iranian executives indicating expansion of economic cooperation between the two countries, he pointed out. [IRNA, tue, oct 19, 2010]

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, recently signed a decree banning the sale of tanks, missile and cannon systems, fighter aircraft, military helicopters, and vessels to Iran, which triggered an outcry of criticism of Russia in Iranian press. Iran wanted to buy the S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems for defending it’s nuclear facilities against a possible air strike by Israeli and U.S. fighters and cruise missiles.

Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei (Photo: Mehdi Ghasemi/ISNA)

Iranian President Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei said on Tuesday that Iran-Russia relations are not strained.

“Iran-Russia relations are not strained and it is the countries’ interests which determine political ties,” he said in welcoming ceremony of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Tehran. Also concerning a question that how much Chavez’s trip to Iran can improve Iran-Russia relations, Mashaei said, “the issue is not without effect, but it is not the aim of Chavez’s visit of Iran, although Russia is under pressure.” [ISNA, Tue, Oct 19, 2010]

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez offered to buy the S-300 systems when he met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow Thursday, Oct. 14. Israel fears that the highly-sophisticated interceptors are bound for their original client, Iran, through its good friend Chavez.

Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi

Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi rejected Wednesday rumors on Iran’s purchase of S-300 systems from Venezuela. Vahidi made the remarks speaking to IRNA on the sidelines of a local meeting. ‘Tehran has no such plans on its agenda for the time being,’ Vahidi said. [IRNA, Wed, Oct 20, 2010]