Via FLC
"(Reuters) - Argentina is quietly reaching out to Iran, worrying Israel...
Argentine exports to Iran, which dropped to a few tens of millions of dollars annually amid sour relations, have grown in recent years, soaring more than 70 percent last year to $1.5 billion. Iran is the biggest buyer of Argentine corn, a key crop for the Latin American country as it strives to bolster its trade surplus.
"As the rest of us work to pressure Iran to end its nuclear weapons program and stop supporting terrorism, Argentina's government has been considering moving in the opposite direction," a European envoy said on condition of anonymity.
On the surface, Argentina's positions on Iran appear little changed...But there are signs that things are changing. In September, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez told the U.N. General Assembly that Buenos Aires was ready to engage in dialogue with Iran, though she also urged Tehran to make good on its offer to help investigate the bombing...Western U.N. envoys said eyebrows were raised in the General Assembly when Argentina's U.N. Ambassador Jorge Arguello broke with tradition and remained seated as Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blasted Israel, Europe and the United States in his speech to U.N. member states...
Diplomats said Argentina's motives for warming up to Iran were unclear. In addition to boosting trade with Iran, some envoys said Argentina was pursuing a Brazilian-style foreign policy emphasizing ties with nonaligned developing nations.
"In general, we see a 'Third Worldism' in Argentina's foreign policy - asserting independence from the big powers, seeking out new relations with countries like Iran," an Israeli official in Jerusalem told Reuters...
Suspicions about Iranian intentions in Argentina continue to this day. Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia warned Argentina of a possible Iran-backed plan to attack Saudi and Israeli embassies in Buenos Aires ..."
Uprooted Palestinian
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