TEHRAN Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's special envoy Jorge Valero said here on Saturday that his government strongly supports policies of Iran and of President Mohammad Khatami at international level. Valero told Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi that due to the same reason Venezuela gave a ``No'' vote to the resolution of the UN Human Rights Commission against Iran. He called on Iranian government to help his country hold the summit meet of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2000. He stressed that Chavez is seriously for all-out expansion of relations with Iran and due to the same reason he is to visit Iran in the next Christian year, 2000. On his part, Kharrazi thanked Venezuela for giving the no vote to the UN Human Rights Commission's resolution and said the vote indicates independence of Venezuela. Voicing Iran's support for Venezuela at international fora, Kharrazi said Iran is ready to expand its relations with the new Venezuelan administration in all fields.

Venezuela can serve as Iran's entrance gate to Latin America and Iran can in turn serve as Venezuela's entrance gate to Central Asia, said Kharrazi. Iran supports convention of the OPEC summit meet in Caracas in 2000, said Kharrazi, calling on Venezuela to support Iran's candidacy for post of OPEC's Secretary-General. The Venezuelan deputy minister also met with Iranian Oil Minister, Bijan Namdar Zangeneh. At the meeting the Iranian minister stressed continued cooperation to stabilize oil price.

Valero called on Iran to support convention of the summit meet of the OPEC members in Caracas. Referring to formerly concluded contracts between Tehran and Caracas in the area of oil for helping strengthen oil prices, Valero called for expansion of cooperation between Iran and Venezuela to exchange technical expertise in oil exploration and production. He disclosed that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is to visit Iran in 2000.