CARACAS (AFP) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered his support for Iran’s nuclear development plans yesterday while attacking Washington for trying to “impose its doctrine, its politics and its interests on the world”.

Speaking after talks with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, Chavez declared that Iran has “all the right to develop its atomic energy”, and that Venezuela opposes any attempts “to deny the Iranians this right.”

The Venezuelan president spoke after signing some 20 agreements with Khatami on cooperation on the oil and petrochemical industries, taxes, commerce and construction.

Khatami, on a three-day visit to Venezuela, said the two countries “are firmly opposed to any aggression which takes place in their countries”, adding that “instead of polarity and terror we want peace and security in the world”.

The remarks came as the US State Department announced yesterday that it would drop its objection to Iran joining the World Trade Organisation, in support of European diplomatic efforts to persuade Tehran to limit its nuclear programme to peaceful purposes.

It was Khatami’s third visit to Venezuela, as the two countries seek closer ties in the face of strong attacks by the United States.

Both countries are founding members of the OPEC oil producers’ cartel. Despite tense relations with Washington, Venezuela is a leading exporter of oil to the United States.

Washington has threatened Iran in recent months over its alleged secret programme to develop nuclear weapons, while the US has branded Chavez undemocratic and a source of instability in Latin America.

“Despite the US’s efforts to establish a normal working relationship with his government, Hugo Chavez continues to define himself in opposition to us,” Roger Noriega, the department’s top official for Latin America, said in Washington Wednesday.

Among the agreements the two countries signed yesterday were a pact on the construction of a cement plant, a double taxation treaty, a cooperation accord between the two central banks and a pact on housing construction, said the Venezuelan foreign ministry.

After delivering a speech yesterday in the National Assembly, Khatami was scheduled to travel today with Chavez to the mining centre of Ciudad Guyana, to inaugurate a tractor assembly plant.

On Friday Chavez awarded Khatami one of Venezuela’s top honorary decorations, “The Order of Liberator Simon Bolivar”.