Ecuadorian President Hails Iran for Close Relations with Latin America

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa lauded the Islamic Republic of Iran for its efforts to expand bilateral relations with the Latin American countries, and lambasted the US for its efforts to block the existing friendly relations between Tehran and Quito.

“The United States is asking us to cooperate with Washington in imposing sanctions against Iran, and also to refrain from friendship and cooperation with Tehran,” President Correa said, addressing the 128th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Quito on Thursday.

The Ecuadorian president pointed to his country’s friendly relations with Iran, and said, “We are not only opposed to this phony US policy, but also condemn it and are proud of our friendship and cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran and chant the viva Iran slogan.”

Iran has in recent years expanded friendly ties with Latin America, specially in economic, trade and industrial fields.

Since taking office in 2005, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has expanded Iran’s cooperation with many Latin American states, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Cuba.

Iran’s strong and rapidly growing ties with Latin America have raised eyebrows in the US and its western allies since Tehran and Latin nations have forged an alliance against the imperialist and colonialist powers and are striving hard to reinvigorate their relations with the other independent countries which pursue a line of policy independent from the US.