Iran congratulated on Monday the presidential election victory of fellow U.S. foe Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, saying it reflected Latin America's opposition to Washington's "arrogant attitudes."

Chavez was re-elected by a landslide on Sunday, handing him an ample mandate to broaden his promised socialist revolution and challenge U.S. influence in Latin America.

He is the fourth leftist to win an election in the region in the past five weeks. "The victory of freedom seekers and independent characters in Venezuela and Latin America indicates the growing tendency of the people in that region to be really independent and keep their distance from the American arrogant attitudes," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said.

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"Holding peaceful and calm presidential elections in Venezuela, with a huge turnout, in a free and competitive atmosphere satisfied the Islamic Republic of Iran's government and nation," he stated.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Venezuela in September, cementing increasingly close ties between the two U.S. foes, both big oil producers in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Chavez visited Iran in July.

Iran established an Islamic republic after a 1979 revolution that ousted the U.S.-backed Shah. Chavez says he presides over a revolution to end U.S. influence in Venezuela.