The alliance is tighter than ever.

VIENNA (AP) — Iran was praised and Israel criticized Wednesday at a 151-nation meeting, with Cuba and Venezuela defending Tehran’s right to run a nuclear program and Syria saying the Jewish state’s undeclared nuclear arsenal is a threat to world peace.

The two Latin American nations are among Tehran’s greatest supporters and Washington’s strongest detractors, depicting it as the leader of privileged nations seeking to deprive developing countries of nuclear power and other benefits.

Since the start of the conference Monday, Iran has borne the brunt of criticism, with Western countries condemning its refusal to heed U.N. Security Council demands to stop activities that it could turn into making nuclear weapons and to open its program to greater IAEA perusal.

But Israel is due to come under pressure later in the week from Islamic and other developing countries for refusing to declare its nuclear weapons status and because it remains outside the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Tehran denies wanting such weapons, saying the West’s real purpose is to keep the lucrative nuclear market cornered — an argument picked up Wednesday by the Venezuelan envoy.

“States have an inalienable right to develop peaceful nuclear power without any type of discrimination,” he told the meeting. “Therefore we demand that threats be stopped, that groups of countries stop attacking Iran.”

Juan Carlos Marsan Aquilera of Cuba also criticized the “club of privileged members that develop and refine the nuclear stockpiles.”