Iran in South America

What is it doing there? Why? The cultures have nothing in common from just about A to Z, yet Iran has been trying to develop closer ties to many countries and now has 11 embassies on that continent. Yes, their interest is two prong. One is pure economics in trade as the West's sanctions tighten. In Venezuela, the two governments have signed a $17 billion dollar deal for Iran to help develop industry such as a factory to assemble cars and tractors under the brand, Veniran. In Bolivia, the governments have signed a $1 billion deal for Iran to develop health facilities and housing and their uranium mines needed for nuclear bombs. They have been courting other countries like Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, Nicaragua. All of these have a historical anti-US position at times.

The price is that with economic prosperity in those countries, which are mainly poor, Iranian influence and political persuasion grows even though the countries deny it. Maybe they have no clue just how good Iran is at this. Look no further than Lebanon and Iran's proxy, hezbollah, armed with tens of thousands of rockets-all from Iran. Iran is coy about it all but one objective for all this "latin" connection stuff is to be able to conduct terror attacks on the US, whether it is against directly the US or their allies, like Argentina, Brazil, in that area. The Iranian Al Qods radical arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, already has extensive connections and men there-undercover. They were the ones who planned the attempted assassination of a Saudi diplomat in Washington, DC.

It is not the goal of Iran for Bolivia or Venezuela to become Islamic, even they know that would not work in Spanish culture and history. They are content with having a leader there be their good friend that they have leverage with through economic ties and a mutual goal of hating America, even though their populations don't. Having a small but growing military presence there is enough. Maybe one day, a few missiles will appear there. Can you imagine another Cuban missile crisis?

I can.