Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi and his Venezuelan counterpart Nikolas Maduro held a phone conversation on Saturday.
In the telephone conversation, Raeisi described Iran-Venezuela relations as strategic and said, "The current level of the relations between the two countries should enhance during the new Iranian government."
Pointing to the high capabilities and capacities that Iran and Venezuela have, the Iranian president said, "Development of relations between Tehran and Caracas is a necessity, especially in trade and economic issues."
Praising the Venezuelan government and people for their efforts to achieve independence, justice, and their struggle against global arrogance and the hegemonic system, Raeisi noted, "The reason for the sanctions imposed by the hegemonic system and the United States on the people and the Venezuelan government is their endeavor for independence and freedom."
He further expressed hope that today's phone call would be a turning point in the expansion of bilateral relations.
Raeisi also congratulated the successful holding of the recent elections in the Latin American country.
Referring to the shared stances of Iran and Venezuela in the OPEC, Raeisi said, "Oil cooperation between the two countries should take a new format and we need to take greater steps in the field of refining and supplying petrochemical resources."
Referring to the agreements between Iran and Venezuela, the Iranian president said, "These agreements must be fully implemented and also the ground must be laid for new agreements."
During the telephone conversation, the Venezuelan president, for his part, pointed to the holding of elections in Venezuela and said, "Despite the threats and aggressions that imperialism imposes on us, we have been able to defend internal peace through the efforts of our people."
Stressing the need to create a new dynamism in the economic relations between his country and Iran, Maduro pointed to the good results of the meetings of the joint commissions between the two countries and said, "With each other's help, we will make a big leap in bilateral relations, especially in the fields of energy and economics."
Referring to the shared stances of Iran and Venezuela in OPEC, he said, "We have to do something to bring OPEC to a lasting stability in the oil market."
"There is a lot of joint work between Iran and Venezuela, and I am very optimistic that with the help of joint commissions we can conclude new agreements," President Maduro underlined.
KI