The Tehran-Caracas Nuclear Axis: The growing relationship between Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinjad

In December both Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad adressed the U.N. Climate Summit in Copenhagen. The two countries dangerous new partnership has been developing quickly. In November, Ahmadinejad visited Caracas for the eleventh time. There is no direct evidence that Venezuela is assisting Iran in creating a nuclear weapon but there are a few obvious clues. In 2005 Chavez told his government to cooperate in "manufacturing Iranian bicycles" in Venezuela. An Iranian "dairy products" plan was set up on the Columbian border in a territory controlled by FARC, the infamous Columbian terrorist group. Last January the Associated Press reported that Turkish authorites had seized 22 containers heading to Venezuela containing "tractor parts", that as one turkish official reported,"was enough to set up an explosives lab." The most looming Iranian venture is the "gold mine" being set up near Angel Falls in an area known as Roraima Basin. The basin straddles the border between Venezuela and Guyana and is a geological lookalike to Canada's Athabasca Basin which is the "World's largest source of uranium". In 2006 Chavez denied all claims of a partnership between Iran and Venezuela claiming that "it shows they have no limit in their capicity to create lies." The largest clue is a November 15 2008 memo signed by the two countries' Minister of Science where the two parties reportedly agreed to cooperate in the field of nuclear technology. A few days later the Venezuelan government submitted a paper to the International Atomic Energy Agency on the "Introduction of a Nuclear Power Program".
Iran would need Venezuela's support if they want to house nuclear fuel in 10 seperate power plants as Ahmadinejad stated in November. There are some more clues within the infrastructure of Venezuela that proves they are assisting Iran in their nuclear program. In January 2008 the Bank of International Development opened in Caracas. At the top of their list of directors, all Iranian, is Tahmasb Mazaheri who is the former governer of the Central Bank of Iran. The Venezuelan bank is a subsidiary of the Export Development Bank of Iran, which in 2008 was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for financially assisting the Iranian defense forces. For almost three years now the Venezuelan airling ConViasa has been flying to Damascus and Iran.Since these are not common Venezuelan tourist destination, one cannot help but fear the type of cargo these planes hold. In October 2008 the Republic of Iran shipping created a direct shipping route to Venzuela. If you look towards the government many Iranians head the top few departments, increasing Iranian power within the country greatly.
Iran and Venezuela's bond is only getting closer by the day. It is time that countries such as the United States respond with force to this threatening partnership. Nuclear cooperation between the two countries is clear and it is the World's duty to look at the realistic threat it poses and condemn the relationship before it is too late.

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