Iran's South American Allies

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad traveled to Rio de Janeiro on June 19 to attend the Rio Earth Summit during a two-day visit to Brazil. Ahmadinejad's trip to South America began with a brief stop in Bolivia and will end with a visit to Venezuela after the summit concludes.

Ahmadinejad's visit highlights Iran's relationships with Latin American countries. After recent negotiations between Iran and the P-5+1 group were less than productive, Tehran wants this trip to show that Iran is not an international pariah despite its conflicts with the United States. By maintaining relationships with Latin American countries, Iran also sustains a measure of influence in the West. In addition to challenging the United States politically, these relationships provide opportunities for Iran to circumvent international sanctions and avoid isolation.