Some say it is just to annoy the United States. In fact, US ambassador Paul Trivelli has even said that Nicaragua’s relations with Iran are “dangerous.” Others say Nicaragua should be able to seek out and receive aid from wherever it can. If it only accepted cooperation from squeaky clean democracies, the list of partner countries would be a very short one indeed.
After a few days of meetings, technical teams from Nicaragua and Iran issued a joint declaration stating their intention to formalize an agreement that would benefit Nicaragua with several infrastructure projects financed with soft loans and donations from the Islamic republic. Cooperation will be spread across the areas of energy, housing, ports, water supply and sanitation, fisheries, agriculture, and forestry.
Authorities presented the Iranians with four separate proposals for developing hydroelectricity that would produce 616 megawatts and cost more than $200 million. By the time of the next round of meetings in November, one of these is to be selected for development, contributing significantly to Nicaragua’s stock of renewable energy resources.
The head of the housing institute was pleased to announce that Iran will provide support for the construction of 10,000 low income homes. Two wharfs will be built at the container port in Corinto on the Pacific and the Iranians are considering sharing in the construction of a deepwater port at Monkey Point in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region, possibly with the participation of Venezuela. Combined with an overland link and pipeline, this would enable that country to supply the new refinery (see above) with crude oil directly, without having to run tankers through the Panama Canal.
An assembly plant for agricultural implements for the local market and export is part of the package, as is the construction of five dairies and a modern slaughterhouse and meat packing plant. Irrigation equipment and the construction of small reservoirs will help boost agricultural production.
The list goes on: Iranian-made tractors financed with cooperation from Venezuela for distribution at a low price to agricultural cooperatives; construction and repair of healthcare facilities; technological training programs and scholarships in laboratory services and high-technology production of pharmaceuticals; launches and tackle for small-scale fishermen; drilling wells in the southeast section of Managua and laying pipe to distribute the water; and, machinery for a plant making plastic goods that would get its raw materials from the new refinery.
On the other side of the coin of this agreement, Nicaragua would export beef, coffee and agricultural produce to Iran.
