'We are on the right side of history and together we are invincible': Maduro to Raisi
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi started his tour of Latin America on 12 June in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, leading a high-level ministerial delegation that signed 25 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding.
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Raisi was welcomed by his counterpart Nicolas Maduro, who honored the Iranian leader with the 'Order of Libertadores and Libertadoras of Venezuela,' an honor offered to those who have earned merit for their civil, military, or religious services.
#EnVideo| Presidente de la Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela, @NicolasMaduro entrego la Condecoracion Orden Libertadores y Libertadoras de Venezuela en su Primera Clase al Presidente de la Republica Islamica de Iran, Seyed Ebrahim Raisi.#3AnosDeSecuestro pic.twitter.com/mSCmfPXFVo -- VTV CANAL 8 (@VTVcanal8) June 12, 2023
"I pay tribute and honors to the resilient, noble, and beloved people of Venezuela who have resisted cruel imperialism. We are friends in difficult times," Raisi said after being honored.
"They do not want the two countries, Iran and Venezuela, to be independent," Raisi added, referring to western powers.
Earlier in the day, the Iranian and Venezuelan leaders sat down at Miraflores Palace to oversee the signing of multiple new agreements to strengthen bilateral trade and cooperation.
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"We have decided to increase the cooperation between the two countries," Raisi said, adding that Tehran's short-term goal is to boost "cooperation to $10 billion."
"The next step, we want to take it to $20 billion," he added. "Having common interests, positions, and enemies has helped deepen cooperation between the two countries and make it strategic."
The agreements signed on Monday are primarily aimed at expanding cooperation in petrochemicals, oil exploration and development, and collaboration in mining.
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The two sides also agreed to remove customs, banking, and tariff barriers to facilitate and accelerate economic exchanges, Raisi noted.
For his part, Maduro hailed the Islamic Republic for playing a "stellar role" as one of the emerging powers of what he called the "new world" and said the country is "a reference for the people who fight for independence, justice, and a more humane humanity."
"After the ups and downs, the imperial aggressions with more than 900 unilateral sanctions, Venezuela is ready to continue advancing in the construction of a new world," Maduro stressed.
"We are on the right side of history, and together we will be invincible," Maduro said.
After paying tribute at the tomb of Simon Bolivar, the Iranian president left Caracas and headed for Nicaragua. Raisi is also expected to visit Cuba during his five-day trip.
Iran and Venezuela signed a 20-year cooperation plan in Tehran last year, pledging partnership on oil, defense, and other issues.
The deal includes the restoration of Venezuela's oil refineries, including the Paraguana refining complex and the El Palito refinery, which restarted operations days before Raisi's arrival.