Of the three Latin American countries that Ahmadinejad is scheduled to visit, Venezuela and Bolivia are the most empathetic to Iran's need for international allies. Bolivia has for years had a strained relationship with the United States. It recently made its first attempts at reconciliation after a major fallout in 2008 that left the United States with no ambassador in Bolivia. Venezuela has had an extremely poor relationship with the United States since 2002, when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez attributed a coup attempt against him to U.S. influence. Countries like Iran and Russia, which are geopolitical rivals with the United States, cultivate relationships with countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador and Bolivia as a way to challenge U.S. influence in the region.

Iran is constantly searching for ways to circumvent international sanctions that restrict its access to materials that could aid its nuclear program. These standing sanctions, along with the looming threat of oil sanctions, have driven Iran to seek creative means for conducting commercial activities. Iranian banks and companies operating abroad can use distant locations like Bolivia to establish shell companies and banking entities designed to evade U.S. scrutiny when conducting international commerce that violates sanctions.

Opportunities exist for direct trade between Latin American countries and Iran. Venezuela in particular has shipped refined petroleum goods to Iran, which lacks sufficient refining capabilities of its own. Venezuela and Bolivia also possess significant deposits of gold and other metals. Unconfirmed rumors frequently allege that Iran is attempting to source uranium from these countries for its enrichment program.

Iran is incapable of wielding significant influence in the region and despite tensions, Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela maintain important bilateral relationships with the United States. In addition to being the most dominant military force in the region, the United States also tops a short list of export destinations for Bolivia and Venezuela. Iran's primary area of influence is in its own immediate vicinity. Tehran lacks the resources to adequately or consistently project power halfway around the globe. But in the short term, its relationships with Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela allow Iran to maintain a global presence while negotiating the terms of its standoff with the United States.