CIUDAD BOLIVAR, Venezuela (AFP) - Visiting Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez turned up the heat on the United States in the final day of Khatami's three-day visit.

Chavez. insists Washington is trying to assasinate him

At the opening of a tractor factory in Ciudad Bolivar, 500 kilometres (310 miles) southeast of Caracas, Khatami urged Venezuela and other countries pressed by Washington to "be strong" and "reject their threats to invade us".

Chavez, for his part, repeated his accusation that Washington intends to assassinate him, and prayed that God "save us" from US President George W Bush.

"The president of the United States in his obsession of being the owner of the world has said that God sent him ... to save to the world. God has us to save from him and to save the world from the true threat," he said.
Both Venezuela and Iran are frequent targets of Washington's wrath.

Bush has labelled Iran part of an "axis of evil" and has pressed Tehran on its nuclear ambitions and support for groups Washington considers terrorist. And Chavez has engaged in a war of words with Washington over his friendship with Cuba and support for socialism.

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