WASHINGTON — The Bush administration faces the prospect that Iran
could receive military and nuclear platforms from both friends and
adversaries of the United States.
Officials said Venezuela has offered Iran surplus F-16 multi-role
fighters from the South American air force. They said the European Union has
also proposed civilian nuclear platforms to Teheran, Middle East Newsline reported.
The administration has opposed both proposals. The United States has
imposed an arms embargo on Venezuela, which has significantly improved
relations with Iran over the last year.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Venezuela has shared
intelligence with both Iran and Cuba. McCormack said this has resulted in
the designation of Venezuela as a country that failed to fully cooperate
with the United States in the war against Al Qaida.
"If you have a reasonable or rational expectation that somehow
information that you share with them might make its way to just the groups
that you're trying to combat, that's certainly negative," McCormack said on
May 15.
Venezuela has been considering a recommendation by the Defense Ministry
to sell its fleet of 21 F-16s to Iran. Gen. Alberto Muller, a senior adviser
to President Hugo Chavez, told the Associated Press on Tuesday, that the
government must consider "the feasibility of a negotiation with Iran for the
sale of those planes." Iran already operates the U.S.-origin F-4 and F-14
fighter-jets.
U.S. officials confirmed that Venezuela has been stymied by Washington's
efforts to block offers by Israel and Spain to modernize the F-16 fleet.
Chavez has threatened to retaliate by transferring the U.S. jets to Cuba and
purchasing MiGs from Russia.
The United States has also opposed a plan by the European Union to offer
Iran a light-water nuclear reactor in exchange for the suspension of
Teheran's uranium enrichment program. Officials said the plan would
discussed by the EU and United States next week. Iran has already rejected
the EU plan.
