Nicolás Maduro strengthens his ties with Iran and seals a 20-year cooperation agreement

Iran and Venezuela sealed their alliance this Saturday, during a visit by President Nicolás Maduro to Tehran, with the signing of a 20-year strategic cooperation agreement, which provides for their collaboration in the oil, petrochemical and tourism sectors, food and technology.

It was the day after that Maduro thanked the Islamic Republic for sending much-needed fuel to his nation despite US sanctions and threats.

The signing of the pact “shows the determination of the top officials of the two countries to develop relations in different fields,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a press statement along with his Venezuelan counterpart, according to state television.

Both leaders witnessed the signing of the agreement at Tehran’s Sad Abad Palace, in a meeting defined as the start of “an indestructible friendship”.

In speeches full of references to “imperialism” and US sanctions, both leaders pointed out “resistence” of their nations and the importance of this agreement for the future of their peoples.

Maduro arrived in Tehran on Friday leading a large delegation that includes his ministers of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Communications, Science, Transportation and Tourism.

The visit to Iran takes place as part of an international tour that also took him to Turkey and Algeria.

strategic cooperation

“We have large fronts of cooperation between Iran and Venezuela,” Maduro said in a press conference with Raisí.

“At the energy level, oil, gas, refineries, petrochemicals, at the financial level, at the defense level,” summarized the president.

“A truly amazing cooperation map,” he said.

“You, president, and the Islamic Republic of Iran can count on the full support of the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela”, the Chavista president also remarked.

For his part, Raisi affirmed that relations between the two countries are “strategic” against “imperialism”, referring to the United States.

“The signing of the 20-year cooperation document is a sign of the willingness of the high authorities of both countries to expand ties in different areas,” said Raisí.

The Iranian president said that Venezuela has shown “perfect resistance to the sanctions and threats of imperialism”, something that the Iranian people have suffered “for more than 40 years”.

The politicians did not go into the details of the agreement, but Maduro underlined the cooperation to “consolidate the sovereignty and food security of our countries”.

For this Tehran and Caracas will collaborate in the technology field to produce more food in Venezuela for its population and will also produce on Venezuelan soil to export to Iran and the region.

Direct flights

Maduro also said they will start on July 18 direct flights between Caracas and Tehran, first on a weekly basis and then the plan to increase connections, an announcement that has been reiterated in the past but has not yet come true.

“Venezuela is open to receiving tourism from Iran to come and enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean, South America, the Andes, the Amazon …” the president said.

Finally, Maduro foresaw the arrival of a world of justice, without imperialism, a world of equality that Iran and Venezuela will build.

Relations between Tehran and Caracas have been very close since the time of the late President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013), based on their mutual opposition to the United States.

Iran has become one of the main allies of the Maduro government in recent years, particularly since 2020, when a gasoline shortage occurred in Venezuela and Caracas has turned to Tehran to buy fuel.

During an interview on Friday night on HispanTV, a few hours after arriving in Tehran, Maduro recalled the Iranian aid.

“The oil shipment to Caracas has been of great help to the Venezuelan people,” Maduro said.

Source: EFE

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