Venezuelaꦺ's President Nicolas Maduro on his first visit to Iran said the Islamic Republic helped his൲ nation by sending badly needed fuel despite US sanctions and threats.
In an interview with Maduro late Friday after his arrival, Iranian state media reported that Maduro hailed Iran's move to send fuel tankers to his e﷽nergy-hungry nation.
“Tehran's delivery of oil to Caracas was a great help to the Veneඣzuelan peop꧟le,” he said.
Tensions across the Middle East are high over the collapse of Iran's nuclear d𓃲eal with world powers as US sanctions and rising global food prices choke Iran's ailing economy, putting further pressure on its government and its people.
A high-ranking political and economic dele🌃gation from Venezuela, which like Iran is under heavy US sanctions, is accompanying Maduro on the two-day visit, following an invitation from Iran's hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi.
Maduro said he will meet with Raisi on Saturday to dꦅiscuss a 20-year plan for cooperation between the two countries.
“The need to wel🐈l inform the Iranian and Venezuelan nations about the war of sanctions and find ways to counter themꦡ with steadfastness" would be discussed, Iranian English-language PressTV quoted Maduro as saying.
Maduro said Venezuela and Iran are united by “a common vision” regardin🗹g international issues and are both victims of coerciv♛e measures by the US and its allies.
“Caracas and Tehran have shaped the strategy of (a) resistance economy and are wꦇorking to 𝓰expand it,” he said.
Maduro is on a Eurasia tour after being rebuffed by Washington, whi💞ch decided not to invite him to the Summit of the Americas. His stops earlier this week included Algeria and Turkey.
Turkey is one of a handful of places around the world — Russia💞 and Iran are other friendly states — where Maduro is welcome amid US sanctions on his 🧔country.
Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua were not invited by President Joe Biden's administration to the Summit of the Americas that began on Thursday due to their authoritarianism and human rights violations. That led to a decision by Mexico's🦹 president not tജo attend.
Venezuela has received Iranian tankers at its porℱts n the past. Iran also has exported cars to Venezuela.
