1. Venezuela – Iran: Interests in Common?

2. SIMILARITIES: Domestic Polity  Treatment of dissent  Reliance on military & revolutionary militias/ guards to intimidate opposition  Iran provides public opinion experts to assist Chavez  “Ahmadinejad is love’  “Chavez is love” Iranian Militias Venezuelan Militias

3. Use of Elections to Maintain Legitimacy Elections controlled - IRAN Change implied by elections unacceptable: Venezuela

4. SHARED Interests Counter efforts to isolate Access to technology Petroleum Military Opposition to the United States Dislike of secular consumer culture

5. Mutual Interest: Soften Isolation Chavez: seven visits to Tehran since 2004 Thirty cooperative agreements Truck factory Ammunition factory Cement plant Weekly flight Caracas – Damascus – Tehran Venezuela expresses support for Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy

6. Financial Purchase of Corp Banca C.A (May 2008) Paperwork processed in record time Iranian Board of Directors Circumvents embargo – allows Iran to move money around USA Iran – Venezuela Development Bank April 2009 -2011 Capital begins $200 million to $1.2 Billion Capital projects (possibly uranium mining)

7. Military Cooperation Iranian military advisors embedded with Venezuelan Army units since 2006 Iranian advisors from Revolutionary Guards assist in organizing popular militias and Francisco Miranda Front Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammed Najjar met with Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez, (also acting defense minister) in March 2009

8. Asymmetric Warfare: Lessons learned from Iraq Alain Joxe: “La Guerra USA- Iraq: Imperio, guerra asimetrica y caos global Army field manuals from period of USA cooperation burned Asymmetric warfare adopted as official doctrine of Venezuelan military Iranian military manuals discussing asymmetric warfare appear in Venezuela Militias promising to mount asymmetric warfare against imperialist invaders

9. Venezuela: facilitating Iranian ties with FARC Insurgents? Colombian Army raid on camp of Raul Reyes (May 2008)08 Iranian field manuals $480,000 cash in Costa Rican safe house traced to Iran Low grade uranium buried (30 kilos)

10. Critical Questions What is Iran’s capability to influence conditions/events in Venezuela – and Latin America that impact on U.S. ? How concerned should the U.S. be with Iranian activities in Venezuela? Ahmadinejad Welcomed in Caracas

11. Iran & Brazil Lula – geopolitical ambitions Mediation on nuclear program Economic ventures Dilma more cautious/reserved