TEHRAN — The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, met with visiting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his top delegation late on Saturday.

In the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the resilience of Iran and Venezuela in the face of United States’ heavy pressure and “hybrid war”, and said, “The successful experience of the two countries showed that the only way to face these pressures is to resist.”

The Leader also praised the victory of the Venezuelan government and people in the face of U.S. “hybrid” and “comprehensive war” against Venezuela. He then told Maduro, “Your resistance and the people of Venezuela's resistance is very valuable because it enhances the dignity and worthiness of a nation and a country and its leaders, and today the United States’ view of Venezuela is different from the past.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to the scientific and technological progresses and creativities of Iran in recent years, saying, “These big steps have been taken in a situation where the heaviest and most unprecedented sanctions and pressures were imposed on the Iranian nation, and the Americans themselves called it ‘maximum pressure’.”

He emphasized that the resistance of the Iranian people finally led to the failure of the policy of maximum pressure in a way that one of the leading political officials of the United States had recently used the term “disgraceful defeat”.

The Leader pointed out that the conclusion that can be drawn from the resistance and success of the two nations of Iran and Venezuela is that the only way to offset pressure is to stand and resist, while cooperation and communication between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Bolivarian government of Venezuela should be stronger and closer than before. 

Welcoming the signing of a 20-year cooperation document between Iran and Venezuela, Ayatollah Khamenei said that long-term cooperation requires the pursuit of agreements and their implementation.

Referring to the sincere cooperation between Iran and Venezuela, the Leader noted, “The two countries do not have such close relations with any other country (in the world), and the Islamic Republic of Iran has shown that it takes risks in times of danger and shakes the hand of its friends.”
The Leader also praised Maduro's anti-Israel stances, saying, “Your recent stances against the Zionist regime were quite correct and highly courageous.”

During the meeting, which was also attended by the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the Venezuelan president thanked Iran for its support to the Venezuelan nation in their tough resistance against Washington’s pressure and said, “You came to our aid when Venezuela was in a very difficult condition and no country was helping. You did help us to get out of that situation.”

Explaining the difficult economic situation in Venezuela in recent years, Maduro added, “As you said, the Americans started a gradual and multidimensional war against our country, but we were able to stand up and use the opportunities provided by the sanctions to start a comprehensive confrontation with the American invasion, and now the situation in Venezuela is better than a few years ago.” 

Referring to his talks in Tehran and the signing of the 20-year cooperation document, Maduro noted that Tehran and Caracas are outlining a detailed roadmap for cooperation in various fields, “especially in science and technology.”

The Venezuelan president also stressed that his country considers the issue of Palestine a “sacred human issue”, saying, “Because of this belief, the Zionist regime is constantly plotting against Venezuela through Mossad.”