After a meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasenia, President Ibrahim Raisi said today that Iran wants to make Latin American countries one of the “priorities” of its trade relationship.
“Latin America, especially Venezuela, is one of the priorities of Iran’s economic diplomacy and we are determined to develop our relations with these countries,” Raisi said, according to the official Irna news agency.
As the head of a delegation, Plasenia met with senior Iranian officials in Tehran today.
Iran seeks “significant development of relations with developing countries, especially those seeking to maintain their independence against major countries,” Raisi said, referring to the United States.
Washington has imposed sanctions on oil exports from Venezuela and Iran – both important oil-producing states – as well as on several government and military officials.
“With the long-term cooperation plan between the two countries, there is a clear vision to broaden and deepen the ties,” Raisi said.
The Venezuelan Chancellor also met with his Iranian counterpart Hussein Amir-Abdullahian.
“In the coming months, we will be visiting Tehran by (Venezuela) President Nicolas Maduro, during which a 20-year cooperation agreement will be signed,” Amir-Abdullahian said without giving details of the agreement.
For several years, Venezuela has been facing an economic and political crisis, while the Iranian economy faced the re-establishment of US sanctions in 2018 following the unilateral withdrawal of the former US president. Donald Trump Regarding the international nuclear deal with Iran.
