Yesterday I wrote about US Secretary of State Clinton’s statements from last week explaining her concern that China, Russia and Iran are seeking to gain influence in Latin America. One example of Iran’s growing clout in the region was this week’s planned trip by President Ahmadinejad to Brazil and other nations in the region. It comes as some surprise that today Tehran announced the trip was cancelled indefinitely with no explanation. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi announced that the President will visit Syria this week instead to discuss regional security issues with Syrian President Bashir Assad.
So why did Ahmadinejad cancel? Some suggest that it would have gotten in the way of his reelection campaign (elections are coming up in June). Other pundits suggest that the cancellation was in part a result of protests in Brazil led by Jewish groups against Ahmadinejad’s visit.
Whatever the reasons, Ahmadinejad’s cancellation is not a real loss for either Iran or Brazil and its neighbors. Energy and trade deals, particularly between Caracas and Tehran, continue to be struck, and it seems that Ahmadinejad’s reelection will be most key to keep these partnerships alive.
