La Paz: Iran has dropped a plan to open a television station in Bolivia and is now negotiating a content-sharing deal between the allies' state broadcasting companies, Iran's top diplomat in this South American country said Monday.

Iranian business attache Hojjatollah Soltani pointed out that Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting and Iranian state news agency IRNA already produce content in Spanish, making a partnership with Bolivian networks relatively simple.

"Now, more than anything, what we're talking about is a conversation to exchange experience, documentaries and news" with various Bolivian state media, Soltani said.


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sought to expand ties with sympathetic leftist governments in Latin America, including Bolivia's close ally Venezuela. Ahmadinejad pledged US$1 billion to Bolivia in aid and investment during a visit to Bolivia last year.

Soltani said that Iran pledge US$230 million to build a proposed cement plant and another US$3 million for three Bolivian dairy farms.

He said that Iran, home to the world's second-largest natural gas reserves, looked forward to sharing its energy expertise with Bolivia, whose gas reserves are the second largest in South America.