Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have pledged to pool their efforts in the struggle against imperialism, according to media reports.

Both leaders condemned U.S. imperialism, while Chavez said Israel was "a murderous arm of the Yankee empire."

During a visit to Latin America on Wednesday Ahmadinejad said "Chavez is a great revolutionary" and that the two leaders were "brothers."

The Venezuelan president returned the compliment, describing his Iranian colleague as a "gladiator" against imperialism, as well as "brother and comrade-in-arms" in the fight against U.S. imperialism.

"I can say that you are a hero and a symbol of resistance in the fight against imperialism," IRNA quoted Chavez as saying.

Chavez condemned recent remarks by Israeli President Shimon Peres who had said that Ahmadinejad and Chavez would disappear soon.

"What the president of Israel said, we take as a threat," he said.

MOSCOW, November 26 (RIA Novosti)