LatAm no longer US backyard: Iran

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Latin America is no longer a backyard of the United States, describing the region’s countries as sovereign and cultured.

In a joint press conference with his Ecuadorian counterpart Rafael Correa on Thursday, Ahmadinejad recommended hegemonic powers to respect other nations and recognize their rights.

He said that world powers owed other nations many apologies for their wrongdoings, adding that hegemonic powers had better learn the lessons of history and not add to their already long list of mistakes.

The Iranian chief executive is in Ecuador on the last leg of his four-nation tour of Latin America, which also took him to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.

The promotion of all-out cooperation with Latin American countries is among the top priorities of the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy.

Iran and Latin American countries have been working towards developing diplomatic relations and increasing economic cooperation.

Washington considers Latin America as its strategic backyard, a term used to refer to the USA’s traditional areas of dominance, especially Latin America.