New Iranian television network broadcasts to Latin America

Washington, DC, United States (AHN) – Iran began broadcasting on its own Spanish-language television network this week in an effort to improve relations with Latin American countries.

The 24-hour-a-day broadcasts feature entertainment and news, some of which is harshly critical of the United States.

The broadcasts coincide with tough talk between Iran, the United States and Israel that imply military strikes are possible soon.

Opening day for the satellite network called HispanTV included a message from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who said, “Today, a selfish and bullying minority is paving the ground for its domination over the nations by means of the media.”

He did not specifically mention the United States, but the references left little doubt it was what he meant.

HispanTV will “reduce the grounds used by the arrogant powers exercising their hegemony,” Ahmadinejad said. It also would “narrow the distance between free and justice-seeking nations.”

He ended his message by saying in Spanish, “Viva Espana, viva America Latina,” which means “Long live Spain, long live Latin America.”

Programs on the first day included a story saying most American citizens did not favor sanctions against Iran.

The economic sanctions are a response to Iran’s nuclear development program. The Iranians say they are developing nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes, such as generating electricity and cancer treatment.

Western nations and the Israelis say the Iranians are developing nuclear weapons.

Another HispanTV show on the first day criticized what it said were U.S. plots against Syria and Venezuela.

Other content was produced by the Latin American network TeleSur, which has support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is a harsh critic of the United States.

On Thursday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing to discuss what witnesses said was a new threat to the United States from Iran’s diplomatic and military inroads into Latin America.

Last month, Ahmadinejad toured Venezuela, Cuba and Ecuador on a goodwill tour among Iran’s Latin American allies.

Foreign Relations Committee Chairwoman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) called Ahmadinejad’s trip the “Tour of Tyrants.”

At the committee hearing Thursday, she said alliances with Latin American countries might give Iran’s intelligence services “a platform in the region to carry out attacks against the United States.”

She also said, “Some may question the congressional focus on the Iran-Latin America nexus because they wrongly believe that Iran’s influence in the region is exaggerated.”

Witnesses at the hearing gave similar warnings.

Michael A. Braun, former chief of operations and intelligence for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), told lawmakers Iran’s Quds Force and the Islamic Hezbollah terrorist group were forming alliances with Latin American drug cartels.

The rate of their collaboration is increasing “far faster than most policymakers in Washington, D.C., choose to admit,” Braun said.

The Iranians’ association with drug cartels such as the ultra-violent Zetas will “allow them to operate freely in our neighborhood, and they’re getting closer to our doorstep,” Braun said.

Concern about Iranian threats close to home rose last week when an official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence told a Senate committee that if Iran feels threatened, it could launch terrorist attacks inside the United States.

Braun said Thursday, “If we don’t do something about it and really get serious about it, I think there’s going to be hell to pay at some date in the probably not too distant future.”

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