TEHRAN— Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Tehran on Friday for a two-day visit. The visit marked a milestone in ties between Iran and the Latin American country. During the visit, Iran and Venezuela signed a 20-year strategic partnership. However, the most important of all was the message that the visit sent to the world: That the era of U.S. dominance in the world is over.

Upon his arrival to Tehran, Maduro gave an interview to HispanTV, a Spanish news channel based in Iran. During the interview, the Venezuelan leader said, “It is a century of the decline of hegemonic power (U.S.) and Iran and Venezuela are on the forefront of this process.”

“We are going to have a complete day of work with President Raisi and his cabinet… I’ve come with a solid team to build this new stage. We’re working on a roadmap for cooperation that will be signed tomorrow (Saturday), establishing plans and strategies for the next 20 years of development between Iran and Venezuela,” he continued. 

On Saturday, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi officially welcomed Maduro at Saadabad Palace. The two presidents held a meeting, and then participated in a joint press conference during which they both emphasized that the world is on the verge of witnessing a new order. 

“Venezuela has shown exemplary resistance to enemy threats,” Raisi told reporters, noting that Caracas has passed the “hyperinflation” stage and it is rebuilding its economy.

“Today, the president explained that his country has overcome hyperinflation and economic growth has begun in the country. This is a very good sign and it proves to everyone that resistance works and forces the enemy to retreat,” Raisi pointed out.

Caracas has commended Tehran for all of its assistance in helping Venezuela survive unilateral U.S. sanctions that nearly ruined the Latin American country's oil industry.

In his interview with Hispan TV, Maduro explicitly thanked Iran for sending oil tankers carrying fuel, additives, and thinners, as well as giving Venezuela with critical equipment and technical support to repair their oil refineries.

Last month, Tehran sent almost 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and additives to Caracas.

“We went through tough times from 2017 to 2020, and to overcome this difficult period and to develop cooperation and relations between the two countries, we have decided to use the historical experience of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its capabilities, especially in the technical and technological fields,” the Venezuelan president noted in the joint presser.

After the press briefing, the two presidents attended the delivery ceremony of Aframax II tanker built by the Iranian Marine Industrial Company (Sadra).

According to a contract between Tehran and Caracas, Tehran was due to build four tankers worth of $240 million for Venezuela. Aframax II was the second tanker that Iran handed to Venezuela. According to the contract, Iran will soon deliver two more tankers.

The presidents of the two countries communicated via video conference with the deck of the ship in the Persian Gulf and were briefed on the construction and operation of the tanker.

The delivery documents of the Aframax II tanker were also signed in this meeting between the managers of Sadra Company and the Venezuelan side.

This obviously demonstrates the two countries' tremendous success. Now that the worst of Venezuela's problems have passed, there is a huge opportunity for Iranian merchants and entrepreneurs to engage in the country's revitalization. The possibility can help both Tehran and Caracas in terms of job creation and economic growth.

Since the Raisi administration has embraced the approach of focusing on a "balanced" foreign policy, the Iranian Foreign Ministry can seize the chance to further expose Iran in the South American market through Venezuela.

Iranian officials have consistently said in public that they desire to establish connections with all countries in the globe as long as they do not act against the interests of the Iranian people. Venezuela has shown to be a reliable ally of Iran. Let us take use of this chance for the greater good of the world.