Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in the Venezuelan capital Caracas as a part of his Latin American Four-Nation Trip.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in the Venezuelan capital Caracas as a part of his Latin American Four-Nation Trip.

The Iranian President was welcomed by Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua upon his arrival at Maiquetia Airport in Caracas late on January 8.

Ahmadinejad is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other senior Venezuelan officials. He will also sign several contracts and inaugurate a number of projects.

During his five-day trip, President Ahmadinejad will also visit Nicaragua, Cuba and Ecuador and hold talks with senior officials of both countries on the further expansion of bilateral relations.

Earlier on Sunday, Chavez slammed dismissed a U.S. warning to avoid close ties with Iran on Sunday, denouncing Washington's attempt to dominate the world as he welcomed the Iranian president to the Latin American nation.

"A spokesman or spokeswoman in Washington from the State Department or the White House said it was not convenient for any country to get close to Iran. Well, the truth is, it made you laugh", Chavez said in a televised speech.

"They're not going to be able to dominate this world. Forget about it (President Barack) Obama, forget about it. It would be better to think about the problems in your country, which are many", he said.

"We are free. The people of Latin America will never again kneel, dominated by the imperial Yankee. Never again".

The US warned Latin American states on Friday against further expansion of diplomatic and business ties with the Islamic Republic, expressing concerns over “Iran's outreach to the Western Hemisphere.”