Nicaragua's Ortega visits Imam Khamenei in Iran

June 10, 2007 In Iran on Sunday, Nicaraguan president met Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei where both leaders criticised American "imperialism" and shared the opinion that the United States government is "hated" and "isolated". "The Bush administration is now the most disgraced government," Mehr News Agency quoted Khamenei.

Ortega stated that that the current United States administration is embroiled "in Iraq and Afghanistan and has lost the support of its own nation. Under such circumstances, unity among anti-American nations is essential."

Ortega had said that he was going to travel to Iran on a jet lent to him by the Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.

Khamenei and Ortega seemed very much in tune in terms of their opposition to the United States coupled with the belief in the necessity of cultivating the relations of anti-American nations to create "a fair international political system"—as Khamenei put it—and establish a new world order to supplant "capitalism and imperialism"—as Ortega couched it.

Prior to visiting Imam Khamenei, Daniel Ortega met with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whereat they concurred with regard to the antithetical position of Iran and Nicaragua towards the United States.

Ortega's visit to Iran came as a surprise to Washington. This is in light to the Islamic Republic's staunch opposition to socialism and. However, Ortega said he did not have to seek permission to court the Islamic Republic.