TEHRAN -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in a telephone conversation late Wednesday briefed his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Khatami on the ongoing situation in the South American country which has seen its vital oil industry crippled by over two weeks of opposition strikes.

The two presidents, whose countries are major OPEC members with Iran the second largest oil producer and Venezuela ranking fifth in the organization, also discussed issues relating to crude oil and stressed on their economic and political cooperation, IRNA reported.

Khatami hoped that Chavez would succeed in 'putting behind existing problems with wisdom and patience with the help of the Venezuelan people, especially the country's youth'.

The Venezuelan president expressed his best wishes for Khatami and hailed the Islamic Republic's steps in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Oil prices have surged over recent days amid opposition strikes in Venezuela which have disrupted oil shipments.

The strike, aimed at forcing Chavez to step down entered its 18th day on Thursday.

Chavez, a charismatic leader, who was elected by a landslide in 1998 and reelected to a six-year term two years later, has said that his opponents were seeking to topple him again similar to what they did during his brief ouster in April.