Iran-Venezuela ties dull US pressure

Iran’s Industries and Mines Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian says promotion of all-out cooperation between Iran and Venezuela can relieve US pressures.

“Now that the United States endeavors to ratchet up foreign pressure on the Islamic Republic and Venezuela, the two states should relieve the US pressure by further developing their all-out and mutual cooperation,” Mehrabian said in a meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Madura in Caracas on Monday.

“The experience over the past 32 years shows that the more the US exerts pressure on Iran, the more improvement the Islamic Republic makes in domestic and international arenas, in a way that today Iran’s situation is much better than the US economic condition,” IRNA quoted Mehrabian as saying.

The Iranian minister is in Caracas to meet with Venezuelan officials and discuss joint industrial projects.

Iran has so far implemented several projects in Venezuela, including car and tractor manufacturing units, 13 dairy factories, and cement production units.

As agreed by both sides, the Iranian auto giant Iran Khodro is to manufacture 5,500 more vehicles by 2010 to meet Venezuela’s needs, Mehrabian added.

The Iranian minister also pointed out that a plan for production of 50,000 new vehicles by 2011 has also been presented to Venezuelan officials.

If the plan is approved, work will get underway soon, Mehrabian concluded.

Iranian companies are also involved in mining and exploration projects as well as cultural, technological, scientific, and academic activities in Venezuela.