The president was welcomed at the Simón Bolívar international airport in Maiquetía by Foreign Minister Yván Gil, Transportation Minister Ramón Celestino Velásquez, the Iranian ambassador in Caracas, Hojat Soltani, and other authorities.
It is expected that on Monday the Persian dignitary will be received by his counterpart Nicolás Maduro at the Miraflores Palace, seat of the Government.
Raisi traveled accompanied by a large delegation that includes the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian; of Defense, Brigadier General Mohamad Reza Ashtiani; of Petroleum, Javad Owji, and of Health, Bahram Einollahi, among other officials.
In this, his first visit to Latin America, the Iranian head of state plans to also visit Cuba and Nicaragua.
The strategic alliance between Caracas and Tehran translates into cooperation in all areas, which results in favoring the economic reactivation of the South American country, an action considered essential to overcome the ravages of the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States government.
Maduro made an official visit to the Islamic Republic in June 2022, when both countries signed agreements in the energy, scientific, oil, defense, cultural, economic and food sectors, among others.
In September of last year, Raisi received the Venezuelan Minister of Transport, Ramón Celestino Velásquez, in Tehran, whom he confirmed that his country was ready to expand relations with Venezuela in all areas, especially trade, energy, technology, science and the defense industry.
The Islamic Republic “has always been a friend in Venezuela’s difficult moments,” he said.
Iran helped Venezuela make up for its fuel shortage as a result of the blockade measures with the shipment in May 2020 of five tankers loaded with 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and additives.
Despite the warnings from the United States, the Persian nation also contributed to the repairs of oil facilities, the shipment of food and medical supplies to face the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which causes Covid-19.
Both nations began relations on August 9, 1950, but since the beginning of the Bolivarian Revolution in 1999, cooperation and bilateral integration have been strengthened.
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