IRAN: AHMADINEJAD TO EMBARK ON SOUTH AMERICAN TOUR

Tehran, 9 Jan. (AKI) - Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is preparing to leave Tehran on Friday for a tour of Latin America which will lead him to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Ecuador. Ahmadinejad, who had already visited the region in September, is scheduled to land Saturday morning in the Venezuelan capital Caracas where he will be greeted by president Hugo Chavez, his closest ally in South America.

On Sunday, Ahmadinejad will travel to Nigaragua's capital Managua, where he will meet his Nicaraguan counterpart Daniel Ortega.

The president's trip will end in the capital of Ecuador Quito where he will take part in the swearing in ceremony of the new president, Rafael Correa, and where he is also scheduled to meet Bolivia's president Evo Morales, another close ally in the Iran-led anti US international alliance. Since his election as president in June 2005, Ahmadinejad has forged close alliances with Latin American countries led by anti-US governments including Cuba along with Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua.

Meanwhile Tehran has announced that the state-owned cinema production company will produce an hour-long documentary on Chavez.