Tehran and Caracas since the presidency of Hugo Chavez have set up a strong bond and they have turned into allies especially against Western meddling and colonialism, and in the hard times they have supported each other despite the West’s rage.

On Sunday Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an interview once again hailed Iran and its anti-hegemony position and called for a stronger tie with Tehran. He once again proved that he is a strong man in defending Venezuela’s independence.

In the interview he announced he was to visit Iran for signing several economic agreements to strengthen the economic ties of the two states.

The Bolivarian Revolution refers to a left-wing popular social movement and political process in Venezuela led by Venezuelan president Chávez, who founded the Fifth Republic Movement in 1997 and the United Socialist Party of Venezuela in 2007. The “Bolivarian Revolution” is named after Simón Bolívar, an early 19th-century Venezuelan and Latin American revolutionary leader, prominent in the Spanish American wars of independence in achieving the independence of most of northern South America from Spanish rule. According to Chávez and other supporters, the “Bolivarian Revolution” seeks to build a mass movement to implement Bolivarianism—popular democracy, economic independence, equitable distribution of revenues, and an end to political corruption—in Venezuela.

The principles of the two countries to some extent are very similar or at least in terms of in terms of cutting independence and spreading justice in their territories and for this reason they have many commonalities to form a strong tie especially against the West’s intrusion.

In his interview Maduro said his South American country’s relations with the Islamic Republic have always been really good. The Venezuelan president said he has agreed on several new cooperation agreements with his Iranian counterpart President Ebrahim Raisi.

He explained that joint commissions are working on the new projects, adding that he will soon visit Iran to finalize the new deals.

He explained that joint commissions are working on the new projects, adding that he will soon visit Iran to finalize the new deals.

“I am going to Tehran very soon, for a visit that President Raisi offered me, so that we meet in person, to hold conversations and sign new agreements … and speed up processes of cooperation,” Maduro said.

The Venezuelan president also revered Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei as a man of great wisdom and prudence.

In October, Raisi hailed the expanding and friendly Iran-Venezuela ties, saying Tehran is determined to boost its relations with developing countries, especially nations that seek to maintain their independence.

“Latin America, especially Venezuela, is on the top of the Islamic Republic’s economic, diplomatic priorities, and we are determined to expand our ties with these countries,” Raeisi said during a meeting with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia in Tehran on October 18.

The Iranian president stressed the necessity of expanding Tehran-Caracas ties in different fields and underscored the importance of having “a clear and long-term plan” in order to strengthen the bilateral ties to their maximum.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Maduro said his country like Iran will never abandon the Palestinian cause, calling on the international community and world states not to leave Palestinians unprotected in the face of the Israeli regime’s crimes against them.

He underscored that no one in the world can force Caracas into withdrawing support from the Palestinian issue.

“We will not yield to such demands. It is a sin to simply think of abandoning Palestine or leaving it by itself. Palestine is humanity’s Holy Land, and we hold Palestinian lands in such high regard. We hear the name ‘Palestine’ loud and high,” Maduro said.

He also denounced the ongoing heinous crimes against Palestinians across the occupied territories, emphasizing that Israel will pay for them one day.

He added that Palestine deserves unwavering and fearless support from all world leaders, noting, “Palestine is crying out for help. Palestine is asking for your support. Crimes are being committed against it every day, and its young people are getting killed every day.”

The Venezuelan leader described the Israeli regime’s crimes against Palestinians as “inexplicable” and unmatched in history, reiterating his country’s deep-seated support and affection for Palestinian people.

Maduro also expressed support for Syria, stating that he is confident the Arab country will finally overcome the existing conflict under President Bashar al-Assad.

“The Arab world and the entire international community will be astonished at how Syria will rise from the ashes in the following years,” he stated.

Since taking office as Venezuela’s president, Maduro has been committed to close ties with Tehran and Tehran has also been a trustable ally for this Latin American country and this strong bond has enraged the West especially the U.S. and for this reason sanctions against Caracas have been intensified to bring this country’s government  to its knees but Venezuelan government has followed Iran’s path in making ineffective sanctions and pressures to survive against the plots.

Now Venezuela has turned into a true anti-hegemony country in the very neighborhood of the U.S. and Washington fears of this independent country like its fear of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the West Asia.

Iran and Venezuela can strengthen their ties through more economic co-operations to thwart sanctions effects like what Tehran has done in the gasoline crisis era in Caracas that the country dispatched its oil tankers to supply Venezuela with gasoline regardless of the U.S. barking and threats.

It is expected by Maduro’s visit to Tehran, a new chapter  will open in the ties of Tehran-Caracas and anti-hegemony front and the two states will benefit of this tie both economically and politically and both confront their ill-wishers.

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Speaking to ILNA and touching upon the oil trade between Iran and Venezuela, Ahmad Sobhani said Venezuela is a friendly country to Iran and despite there is a geographical distance, in the new trade era, the geographical distance does not hinder these relations, adding that Iran will sell and export its products to any part of the world which is economy wise and its products have customers. He noted that oil trade is a known and legal trade in the international laws even if it is accompanied with the illegal U.S. sanctions.

Sobhani went on to say that the oil trade with Venezuela should have begun 10 years ago, adding that Venezuela is a heavy oil producing country which needs to distillate its oil in the refineries for consumption and for this reason it can be mixed with the gas condensate which will have better market and better value added. Therefore it is natural that Iran as a country with having the most condensate reserves takes advantage of it and cooperates with Venezuela in order to resolve Venezuela’s heavy oil problem and to create value added from its condensates and to consume it in the market, he added.

On the launch of SWIFT system between the two countries, he said it is natural that when both countries facing illegal U.S. sanctions, they seek ways for transfer of money in different ways like using national currencies. Sobhani said of course Iran has no difficult condition in ties with Venezuela like in the past because actually sanctions in the early stages can have devastating effects but after their prolongation, ways are found for making the sanctions ineffective, noting that by the way when sanctions are lifted, both countries can use the innovated ways which cost lower.

Touching upon Venezuela Foreign Minister’s visit to Tehran on Monday, the former diplomat said soon Venezuelan President Nicolas Madura will pay a visit to Tehran and before his arrival in Tehran, the road-map for a 20-year cooperation between Tehran and Caracas will be drawn up to be signed during Madura’s visit.

Sobhani pointed to the positive effects of trade between the two states and said Venezuela is a country with 30m population and rich in underground resources and it is a good market for Iranian products in the fields of industry, medicines and food-stuff, and due to the presence of contractors, Iran has good experience in the construction and mining sectors of Venezuela and it can continue exporting technical and engineering services to Venezuela. He reiterated that economic crisis in Venezuela have been alleviated and now the economic condition has improved and it provides new opportunity for presence of Iran in the technical and engineering sector of this country.

He went on to say that Canadian, Australian and American companies which were active in the mines of Venezuela have left the country and it is good opportunity for Iranian companies to enter into Venezuela for a win-win cooperation in mining sector.

He then explained oil cooperation between the two states based on their 20-year road-map and said Iran and Venezuela are two oil partners and are both of the founders of the OPEC and their economies are very similar. He went on to say that today Venezuela’s oil industry needs reconstruction and Iran can help it due to its experience gained during forty years of sanctions.

Sobhani reiterated that in the past when Iran faced sanctions on importing gasoline, it imported it from Venezuela and now that Venezuela is under sanctions and has faced gasoline shortage, Iran due to its self-sufficiency in gasoline production has exported several ships of gasoline to Venezuela.

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In a statement on Friday, Seyed Abbas Mousavi disputed the claims made by a US government official in charge of Venezuela affairs, saying the baseless comments have been made in order to prepare the ground for mounting the US pressure on the Venezuelan government and for disrupting and interfering in the trade ties between Iran and Venezuela.

“The US government, whose policies in Venezuela, such as economic sanctions, military threats and, most recently, creation of a transitional council, have ended in failure due to the resistance of the Venezuelan government and people, is making such accusations in an attempt to obstruct the Venezuelan government’s plans for reviving that country’s refineries and producing oil products, including gasoline, a shortage of which has been caused by the cruel American sanctions,” Mousavi added.

The reaction came after Head of the US Department of State’s Venezuela Affairs Unit (VAU) James Story alleged at a live presentation on the Facebook that there is “a mysterious airlift between Venezuela and Iran.”

Story, who operates from Colombia, said on Thursday that Venezuela is sending out gold without any transparency, alleging that Iran is, in return, sending equipment for Venezuela’s national oil refining system so that Venezuelan refineries can start producing gasoline again.

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All activities in the seven states are to be suspended from 5:00 am on Monday, except food distribution, health services, transport and security, Maduro said in a television address to his crisis-devastated nation where the economy had already collapsed long before the pandemic struck, AFP reported.

“It’s not a collective vacation, no. It’s a collective quarantine that deserves great social discipline, great self-control,” said Venezuelan President, adding that it meant people should stay “at home.”

Caracas alone is home to six million people.

This latest measure to combat the global pandemic comes after Maduro previously banned flights to and from Europe, Colombia, Panama and the Dominican Republic, as well as a suspending school and university classes, and sports events.

Venezuela reported seven new cases of Covid-19 on Sunday, taking its total to 17.

Maduro said the quarantine was “the only way, there’s no other option.”

The socialist leader has said his response was inspired by that of China, one of Venezuela’s main commercial allies.

China put tens of millions of people under lockdown to help contain the spread of the virus, which has affected more than 80,000 Chinese and killed more than 3,000.

“The only way to contain the channels of transmission is to enter in a drastic phase of collective quarantine throughout the country,” said Maduro.

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Speaking following a meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Eulogio Del Pino in his Tehran office on Wednesday, Zangeneh said enhancing mutual energy ties and discussion over current oil market conditions were the highlights of his meeting with the Venezuelan oil minister.

“Fortunately, compliance of members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with the body’s output cut plan has been acceptable,” he said.

He said the compliance of OPEC members with the plan has been 98% in August, adding, “the level of compliance will increase in the future.”

Zangeneh said the market reaction to OPEC-non-OPEC agreement has been “good”, adding, “During this meeting, we discussed oil market stability and attraction of cooperation of non-OPEC producers in order to ensure further stability in the market.”

In a deal aimed at clearing the glut, OPEC is curbing output by about 1.2 million bpd, while Russia and other non-OPEC producers are cutting half as much, until March 2018.

He also said that extension of the production cut plan through June 2018 was another highlight of his meeting with Del Pino.

“More discussions on the plan will be held at the October 4 meeting of oil and energy ministers of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Moscow,” he added.

“We are prepared for any measure aimed at ensuring oil market stability, anyway.”

Asked about compliance of non-OPEC producers to the cut plan, Zangeneh said Russia is the most important producer among non-OPEC countries that have joint the agreement, adding “We will talk with Alexander Novak, Russian Energy Minister, in Moscow about extension of the plan.

“Commitment of non-OPEC producers to the plan has been good but more heed must be paid to their conditions.”

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