Venezuela’s president plans to visit Iran soon

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says he plans to pay an official visit to Iran in the near future to strengthen mutual relations and discuss avenues for further improving cooperation.

In a meeting with visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for European and American Affairs Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi in Caracas, Maduro praised the resistance of the Iranian government and nation against the pressure of imperialist powers.

He reiterated Venezuela’s support for the lofty ideals of the Islamic Republic.

The Venezuelan president commended the achievements of Tehran-Caracas cooperation in industrial, housing, scientific and technological fields and said Iran is an advancing power which merits respect and special attention.

Takht-e-Ravanchi , who is on a tour of Latin America, said Iran attaches significance to relations with Venezuela and expressed Tehran’s determination to bolster bilateral cooperation.

The two men agreed that the Iran-Venezuela joint commission would convene soon to open up new business opportunities for Iranian firms.

Takht-e-Ravanchi arrived in the Venezuelan capital on Friday to hold talks with the country’s senior officials after he wrapped up his two-day visit to Cuba.

He is scheduled to depart for Bolivia after concluding his visit to Venezuela.

In recent years, Iran has been seeking to enhance its relations with Latin American countries within the framework of international organizations such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), whose rotating presidency is currently held by the Islamic Republic.

Official International Monetary Fund (IMF) statistics show that Tehran’s trade with Latin American countries exceeds USD three billion annually.