CIUDAD BOLIVAR, Venezuela - Visiting Iranian President Mohammad Khatami and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez turned up the heat Saturday on the United States in the final day of Khatami's three-day visit.
At the opening of a tractor factory in Ciudad Bolivar, 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Caracas, Khatami urged Venezuela and other countries pressed by Washington to "be strong" and "reject their threats to invade us."
Chavez, for his part, repeated his accusation that Washington intends to assassinate him, and prayed that God "save us" from US President George W. Bush. He also repeated his support for what he called Iran's right to develop nuclear energy.
"The president of the United States in his obsession of being the owner of the world has said that God sent him ... to save to the world. God has us to save from him and to save the world from the true threat," he said.
It was Khatami's third visit to Venezuela, as the two countries seek closer ties in the face of strong criticism from Washington.
Both Iran and Venezuela are frequent targets of Washington's wrath.
Bush has labeled Iran part of an "axis of evil" and has pressed Tehran on its nuclear ambitions and support for groups deemed to be terrorist organizations by Washington.
And Chavez has engaged in a war of words with Washington over his friendship with Cuba and support for socialism.
The United States has strongly backed domestic opponents of Chavez and slammed him as an autocrat and a meddler who promotes instability in Latin America.
Both countries are founding members of the OPEC oil producers' cartel. Despite tense relations with Washington, Venezuela remains a leading oil exporter to the United States.
Venezuela's energy minister said Saturday that it was unnecessary to boost the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' output during the upcoming ministerial meeting set to open next week.
"I don't see a need for OPEC to boost its production," Rafael Ramirez said.
He also attributed the current rise in crude prices to "both the war in Iraq and the low US refining capacity."
The two leaders on Friday signed some 20 agreements on cooperation in their oil and petrochemical industries, taxes, commerce and construction.
Chavez also awarded Khatami one of Venezuela's top honorary decorations, "The Order of Liberator Simon Bolivar."
03/12/2005 22:07 GMT