US: Iran 'flailing' for friends in Latin America

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's upcoming four-nation tour of Latin America is a sign of desperation as sanctions increasingly isolate his country, the Obama administration said, as it warned the leader's hosts against expanding ties with Iran.     

The State Department on Friday dismissed Ahmadinejad's planned visits to Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador next week as Iran "flailing" for new friends as the sanctions bite. Some lawmakers have expressed deep concern that Iran is boosting its presence in the Western Hemisphere to the detriment of U.S. national security interests.           

 "As the regime feels increasing pressure, it is desperate for friends and flailing around in interesting places to find new friends," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "We are making absolutely clear to countries around the world that now is not the time to be deepening ties, not security ties, not economic ties, with Iran."            

"Rather, it's in the entire international community's interest to make clear to Iran that it's got a choice," she said. "It can remain in an international isolation, or it can comply with its obligations and start cooperating and rejoin the community of nations."            

Nuland said Iran must stop defying international pressure to prove that its nuclear program is peaceful and that countries must make it clear that the only way to end its isolation is to come clean about its atomic ambitions. The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of trying to develop atomic weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear energy program. Iran denies the charge.

AP