Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez defended Iran’s nuclear program Tuesday, saying Washington’s firm opposition to Tehran and the invasion of Iraq both resulted from America’s insatiable thirst for oil. ”You know that one of the most serious problems the world has today is the energy problem, so much so that the North American empire has invaded Iraq just to look for oil and now threatens Iran because of oil,” Chávez said in a nationally televised speech, referring to the United States. “It’s an excuse by the empire, looking for energy.” Full Story