Speaking to the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Sobhani pointed to the victory of the leftist candidate Alberto Fernandez in Argentina’s presidential election, and stated: “Although the line of thinking of Latin American leftists is different and there is radical left, middle left and liberal left line of thinking in this region, they were classified as leftist. President Mauricio Macri was categorized as a right winger in the region, but now we can say the Argentine left is back. He said Macri’s predecessor Cristina Kirchner is attributed to the leftists in Latin America.

He added: At a time when the leftists were not in office, they were a very powerful minority in Argentina. Mr. Lula da Silva is not in office today in Brazil and is a hard-line right-winger, but this minority that is not in power is very powerful and likely to come back. If you look back on what happened in Chile, where Chile was a far right-wing state, and for many right-wingers it was a symbol and example of how successful it has become.

In Ecuador, Mr. Rafael Correa’s successor, Mr. Lenin Moreno, came from the left camp with the support of Mr. Correa but tilted to the right and tried to implement capitalist policies where he faced severe problems.

“Perhaps it can be said that, after a period of isolation of the left, we can again have a new era of left-wing power in Latin America,” Sobhani said, referring to the re-election of Evo Morales in Bolivia. Let’s not forget today that the most important country where the Left first came to power in the region is Mexico, one of the most powerful countries in Latin America, he emphasized.

Commenting on the impact leftists have on Argentina’s foreign policy, he said: “When the rightists are at work, they are at odds with revolutionary governments.” Concerning Venezuela, for example, some countries have recognized the illegitimate and self-proclaimed President Juan Guaido, but my speculation is that the new Argentine government will work with the constitutional government of Venezuela, which is the Nicolas Madura government.

The former ambassador continued: In Chile, the right-wing government has recognized a self-proclaimed and illegitimate president, Guaido, but the moderate, somewhat left-wing parliament still recognized the ambassador of Venezuelan constitutional government. The government invites a representative of Guaido at various events, while the parliament invites a representative of the Venezuelan constitutional government.

He emphasized, however, that when the left comes to power, the solidarity of the revolutionary states in the region increases, and somehow it can be said that avoiding America today is becoming a principle in Latin America. Even in countries where the Right is in power, the Left and the Revolutionaries form a very powerful minority. In a nutshell, the Latin American region that used to be the backyard of America, even if the West-leaning governments take over, is no more the case.

Concerning Argentina’s future policy toward Iran in light of the new developments in the country, he said: “I don’t think there will be a big change with Argentina,” Sobhani said. Although they have a business-minded approach and are looking to sell their goods, the IRI government can properly use this lever and regulate relations with Argentina. Let’s not forget that in the administration of Cristina Kirchner although she and her foreign minister were both Jews, but they held negotiations (with Iran) on the AMIA case and steps were taken toward discovering the truth.

He explained: “I am familiar with this case; with the interesting initiative that was taken when Dr. (Ali Akbar) Salehi was the IRI foreign minister the realities were exposed in Argentina to some extent. Kirchner’s government was willing to engage in dialogue and discover the truth. Even the Jews objected to her and her government for admitting some facts on the AMIA case. My speculation is that the new government in Argentina would not reopen the case. Although the situation in Argentina is not expected to make big changes but there will be positive changes.

The former ambassador also spoke about the expected changes in the Argentine economy, given the rise of leftists in the country, and said: “Capitalist and liberal policies have failed. Protest strikes and declining economic growth over the past few years have shown discontent with capitalist policies. I mentioned Chile as a symbol of success for Latin American capitalism, and even some of our own Westerner inclined people (in Iran) were considering this model. But the highest growth rate in the entire Latin America was achieved by the Bolivian government and Mr. Morales government which has had the most successful economy in the country.

He added: “A country like Chile, a symbol of investment, has faced enormous failures.” Its president treated the protesters badly, and later apologized, saying I heard your voice, the voice of dissatisfaction with capitalist and imperialist policies. This is also true with Argentina. Let’s not forget, according to statistics, perhaps the greatest hatred of American imperialism and Zionism in the Latin American region belongs to Argentina.

Concerning the election results which the European mass media and officials described as “shocking”, Sobhani said: “When the rightists took over, I mentioned at the time that the minority revolutionaries would be strong and would return to the scene. I mentioned another big country like Brazil, which now has a dormant and very strong potential for fans of the revolutionary current and the left. That was quite predictable. If it was strange to them, it is because their speculations were incorrect and the components they considered were wrong.

“If you look at the issue region wise, I will refer to Mexico again,” he said. Mexico is America’s only neighbor to the south, with a leftist government in power. Of course, the leftists and revolutionaries in the Latin American region are not all the same. It may take decades for someone like Mr. Chávez to emerge, but in Latin America we have the Cuban government with a fixed, well-defined and calculated policy, as the vanguard of the revolutionary movement and the oldest revolutionary movement in Latin America today.

Sobhani said that even the Obama administration launched a fraudulent peace treaty with them, but Mr. Trump nearly re-imposed all sanctions and tried to impose the most severe sanctions on Cuba. If new elections are held in free atmosphere the people would elect the same government again. In Cuba, where the country is poor and its people are poor, almost no one sleeps hungry at night, but in the US and in Chile and other countries that have applied capitalism hundreds and in America millions go to bed with empty stomachs.