President Ahmadinejad departs for Venezuela ahead of official visit

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Tehran on Sunday morning to start a tour of four Latin American countries.        

Ahmadinejad is courting Latin America in order to tout some of Iran's few friendships while tensions grow over the country's threats to block oil shipments in retaliation for tighter U.S. sanctions.        

His government finds itself largely isolated in the standoff over its nuclear program, and the new sanctions targeting Iran's Central Bank and oil industry have triggered an abrupt drop in the nation's currency.        

Iran's growing economic ties with Latin America could give it some breathing space from the sanctions, and by embracing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his allies, Ahmadinejad also gets a chance to join like-minded leaders in denouncing U.S. foreign policy.      

"We will discuss the intentions of the arrogant system (referring to the U.S.) interfering and having a military presence in other countries. We shall coordinate with (our friends in Latin America) to address this matter," Ahmadinejad said before leaving.       

It will be Ahmadinejad's fifth visit to Venezuela, to be followed by a trip to Nicaragua for Tuesday's inauguration of re-elected President Daniel Ortega, and then stops in Cuba and Ecuador.       

APTN