TEHRAN – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation held several meetings with Venezuelan officials in a bid to deepen partnership between Tehran and Caracas. 

On Monday morning Iran’s local time, President Raisi left Tehran for a tour of three Latin American nations -Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba- at the head of large politico-economic delegation. 

Upon his arrival in the Venezuelan capital, the Iranian president was accorded an official reception in which the national anthems of Iran and Venezuela were played. During the playing of the national anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a group of Venezuelan children and teenagers sang the national anthem of Iran in Persian.

After the reception ceremony, President Raisi and his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro held a meeting in which they discussed ways to boost bilateral cooperation. 

In the meeting, Raisi described the relations between the two countries as “strategic”. 

“Despite the expansion of relations between Iran and Venezuela in recent years, diverse mutual capacities require the agreements of the two countries to be implemented as quickly as possible and the relations between them to be upgraded to higher levels,” he said, according to the official website of the Iranian presidency. 

Raisi underlined the achievements that Iran made while being under U.S. sanctions. He said Iran can share these achievements with Venezuela.

“The Iranian nation has gained valuable experiences and achievements in the field of science and technology by standing up to the domination system and overcoming the sanctions, which can be shared with Venezuela,” Raisi noted.

The Iranian president also touched on the emerging new world order, saying that such a development can benefit Iran and Venezuela. Stating that a new system is being formed in the world, Raisi said that the future of these developments will benefit the freedom-seeking and independent countries of the world.

President Maduro, for his part, praised the history of “strategic” relations between Tehran and Caracas and announced his determination and the members of the cabinet of this country to start a new round of efforts and measures to expand relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Maduro also hailed the emerging new world order. “In the new world that is being formed, imperialism is falling and the countries that have resisted the arrogance of the arrogant are on the verge of victory,” he said. 

Stressing the necessity of establishing a direct air line between the two countries and strengthening shipping lines to increase trade between Iran and Venezuela, Maduro said, “The two countries have good capacities for cooperation in the fields of tourism, agriculture and animal husbandry.”

In the meeting of the high-ranking delegations of Iran and Venezuela, the presidents of the two countries called Martyr Haj Qassem Soleimani and the late Venezuelan politician Simón Bolivar as heroes of the fight against domination and imperialism.

Maduro praised General Soleimani. “I always remember General Soleimani and I pay tribute to him. In 2018, a brutal [cyber] attack from America was launched on our energy infrastructure. He directed a team to investigate the cyberattack and helped us a lot. Many are not in the know about that,” Maduro said, according to Fars News. 

He added, “I also pay my respects and we will install his bust in the tomb of Simon Bolivar.”

In Caracas, President Maduro also awarded Raisi the national honor of Venezuela.

Raisi and Maduro also participated in Iran-Venezuela high-level joint commission meeting. After the meeting, the presidents of the two countries held a joint press conference.  

“Iran and Venezuela have common interests and views in the fields of independence, freedom and justice, which has brought the people of these two countries closer together,” Raisi said at the presser. 

He also stated that the people of Iran and Venezuela have common enemies who do not want them to live independently. 

“The Iranian nation has proven its friendship with the Venezuelan people over the past years and has always shown that it is their friend during their difficult times,” Raisi added.

Pointing out that the relations between Iran and Venezuela are not ordinary, but strategic, President Raisi said, “Having common interests, views and enemies have made cooperation deep and strategic.”

He added, “Today, the two countries are determined to develop relations in different fields.”

Raisi stated, “The Islamic Republic of Iran, thanks to the blessings of the Islamic Revolution, the pure blood of the martyrs, and the resistance of the Iranian people, has been able to turn the pressures and sanctions into opportunities, and in this way has provided various capacities that are ready to be shared with the resilient nation of Venezuela.”

At the end, Raisi once again paid tribute to the national heroes of Venezuela and honored the memory and name of the resistance martyr Haj Qassem Soleimani and saluted his noble soul.