Political Motives Behind Iran-Zimbabwe Trade Ties
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Fresh off the heels of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe rolling out the red carpet for Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the International Monetary Fund has painted a gloomy picture on the country’s economy, revising growth forecasts to 2.2 percent from the initial 6 percent.
During Ahmadinejad’s visit, he trumpeted solidarity with the troubled nation, slammed Western nations’ “satanic pressures on the people of Zimbabwe,” and predicted “humiliation and defeat for our enemies.”
It seems Mr. Tsvangirai and the Movement for Democratic Change handled the uncomfortable visit with a tactful response of courtesy but not collaboration. Indeed, if campaigning for the lifting of economic sanctions from western bodies, perhaps fraternizing with their very public enemy would send across a mixed message.
Below, Al-Jazeera telelvision’s Alireza Ronaghi explains the trade relationship between Zimbabwe and Iran, the ramifications this bond poses abroad and what to make of Zimbabwe’s domestic economy amidst the rhetoric.