Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Ahmadinejad starts one-day Cuba visit

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Havana today for a one-day visit amid heightened international tensions after an Iranian nuclear scientist was killed in a Tehran car bombing.

Iran blamed the bombing on Israel and the United States, which have led the way in trying to stop Iran's nuclear program. But Ahmadinejad made no comment upon landing at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport.

He was greeted by one of Cuba's vice presidents, Esteban Lazo, and was driven away in a black Mercedes ahead of a meeting with President Raul Castro.

Cuba was his third stop on a Latin American tour meant to show support from four leftist-led nations - Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador - as Iran is increasingly isolated by tightening Western economic sanctions.

The four countries are united with Iran primarily in their antipathy toward the United States, but political and economic ties with the Islamic Republic have expanded in recent years. They also have endorsed Iran's right to develop nuclear energy.

The international standoff over Iran's nuclear activities has hung heavy over Ahmadinejad's tour, although he and Venezuelan President Hugh Chavez joked on Monday about having an atomic bomb at their disposal.

The United States slapped new sanctions on Iran on New Year's Eve aimed at making it hard for Iran to sell its oil.

Iran has said it is only developing nuclear capabilities for energy and other peaceful purposes, but the United States and its allies accuse it of wanting to create a nuclear weapon.

The situation worsened with the death of nuclear scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, 32, who was killed today by a magnetic bomb attached to his car.

Three other Iranian scientists, at least two of whom were working on nuclear activities, were killed in 2010 and 2011 when their cars blew up in similar circumstances.

Iranian Vice President Mohammad Reza Rahimi, in charge while Ahmadinejad travels, told Iranian state television "this terrorist act was carried out by agents of the Zionist regime (Israel) and by those who claim to be combating terrorism (the United States) with the aim of stopping our scientists from serving" Iran.

He said Iran's nuclear program would go on.

The controversy overshadowed the display of Iran's ties with Cuba, which is just 90 miles (145 km) from the United States, its longtime ideological foe.

Iran has granted several hundred million dollars in credits to Cuba, which the island has used primarily to get new Iranian-made train cars for its deteriorating rail system.

Trade between the two countries totaled $27 million in 2009, down from $46 million the previous year, according to the last Cuban government figures available.

The two also share the distinction of being two of the four countries on the US State Department's list of terrorism sponsoring countries, the others being Syria and Sudan.

It was not yet known if Ahmadinejad would visit former Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who is now mostly retired at age 85 but still meets occasionally with visiting foreign leaders.

He was to speak at the University of Havana TODAYbefore leaving early tomorrow morning en route to Ecuador, the final stop of his trip.