TEHRAN — New Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says strengthening political and economic relations with Latin American countries is one of Iran's foreign policy priorities.

Raisi made the remarks in a meeting with Sacha Sergio Llorenti Soliz, the secretary general of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, formally known as ALBA, on Tuesday night.

“Iran is determined to further strengthen its political and economic relations with the member states of the union, and this is in line with the common values and positions of the two sides,” he added. 

The president added that the arrogant and extravagant countries of the world despise and conspire against the efforts of independent and freedom-loving nations. 

“Undoubtedly, activating the level of cooperation between Iran and Latin American countries can make the Americans and other arrogant people passive,” he highlighted. 

Raisi also said Iran and the ALBA states share common values.

For his part, Llorenti Solz expressed his satisfaction with his presence in Tehran on behalf of the nine member states of the union and congratulated Raisi on his election as the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“The goal of the ALBA union is to enhance relations between the Alba member states and Iran,” added Llorenti Soliz who has visited Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Raisi. 
 
Founded initially by Cuba and Venezuela in 2004, it is associated with socialist and social democratic governments wishing to consolidate regional economic integration based on a vision of social welfare, bartering and mutual economic aid. The ten member countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Venezuela. Suriname was admitted to ALBA as a guest country at a February 2012 summit. ALBA nations may conduct trade using a virtual regional currency known as the SUCRE.
 

SA/PA