Speaking at the joint meeting of the high-ranking delegations of Iran and Venezuela on Monday afternoon local time, Ebrahim Raeisi thanked the Venezuelan government and people for the warm welcome, described the relations between the two countries as strategic and clarified, "Despite the expansion of relations between Iran and Venezuela in recent years, diverse mutual capacities require the agreements of the two countries to be implemented as quickly as possible and the relations between them to be upgraded to higher levels."
Referring to the capabilities of Iran in the field of exporting technical-engineering services and processing agricultural and mineral products, the President noted, "The Iranian nation has gained valuable experiences and achievements in the field of science and technology by standing up to the domination system and overcoming the sanctions, which can be shared with Venezuela."
Referring to targeting the volume of exchanges between the two countries up to $10 billion in the medium term, the President emphasised that this figure can be increased to $20 billion in the next step.
Raeisi emphasised the more active shipping lines between the two countries, expanding cooperation in industrial, mining, energy and monetary and banking issues as important in deepening and strengthening the relations between the two countries.
Stating that a new order is being formed in the world, the President said that the future of these developments will benefit the freedom-seeking and independent countries of the world.
In the joint meeting of the high-ranking delegations of the two countries, Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, praised the history of strategic relations between Tehran and Caracas and announced his determination and the members of the cabinet of this country to start a new round of efforts and measures to expand relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Referring to the efforts of Iran and Venezuela to reduce their economic dependence on oil revenues and thus increasing the resistance of the economy of the two countries against foreign impulses, and said, "In the new world that is being formed, imperialism is falling and the countries that have resisted the arrogance of the arrogant are on the verge of victory."
The President of Venezuela also expressed his satisfaction with the reactivation of Iranian industrial companies such as tractor manufacturing and automobile manufacturing in Venezuela and emphasised the effort to achieve the goal of increasing the volume of trade between the two countries to $10 billion.
Stressing the necessity of establishing a direct airline between the two countries and strengthening shipping lines to increase trade between Iran and Venezuela, Maduro said, "The two countries have good capacities for cooperation in the fields of tourism, agriculture and animal husbandry."
He also considered Iran's investment in gold mining in Venezuela and the cooperation of Iranian companies in industrial fields with this country as win-win relations for both sides.
In the meeting of the high-ranking delegations of Iran and Venezuela, the Presidents of the two countries called Martyr Qassem Soleimani and the late Venezuelan politician Simón Bolivar as heroes of the fight against domination and imperialism.
Iran-Venezuela trade volume can increase to $10 billion in 1st step, $20 billion in 2nd step
Raeisi praised the years of resistance of the Venezuelan people against imperialism and paid tribute to the national heroes of this country in a joint press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart on Monday evening local time, saying, "Iran and Venezuela have common interests and views in the fields of independence, freedom and justice, which has brought the people of these two countries closer together."
The President also stated that the people of Iran and Venezuela have common enemies who do not want us to live independently, and added, "The Iranian nation has proven its friendship with the Venezuelan people over the past years and has always shown that it is their friend during their difficult times."
Pointing out that the relations between Iran and Venezuela are not ordinary diplomatic relations, but strategic, Raeisi said, "Having common interests, views and enemies has made cooperation deep and strategic."
Stating that Iran and Venezuela have taken good steps in the past years to develop relations in economic, commercial, energy and technical and engineering services, the President clarified, "Today, the two countries are determined to develop relations in different fields."
Raeisi further noted, "The Islamic Republic of Iran, thanks to the blessings of the Islamic Revolution, the pure blood of the martyrs, and the resistance of the Iranian people, has been able to turn the pressures and sanctions into opportunities, and in this way has provided various capacities that are ready to be shared with the resilient nation of Venezuela."
Describing the negotiations with his Venezuelan counterpart as useful and constructive in order to improve the level of relations between the two countries, the President said, "In the negotiations, both sides emphasised that despite the measures taken to develop relations, there is still a lot of capacity to expand cooperation."
Referring to the increase in the volume of trade between the two countries from $600 million in the Iranian year 1400 to more than $3 billion, Raeisi added, "The volume of trade can be increased to $10 billion in the first step and to $20 billion in the second step."
The President described the signing of 19 cooperation documents between the two countries in the fields of industry, mining, agriculture, energy, science and technology as a manifestation of the will of both sides to expand bilateral relations and stated, "I hope that by implementing these documents, we will be able to take a big step in improving the level of relations between the two countries."
In the end, Raeisi once again paid tribute to the national heroes of Venezuela and honoured the memory and name of the resistance martyr Haj Qasem Soleimani and saluted his noble soul.
Awarding Order of the Liberators of Venezuela to Raeisi
Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi was awarded the Order of the Liberators of Venezuela by his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro.
Strengthening economy most effective way to deal with sanctions
In the last program of the first day of his official visit to Venezuela, Raeisi attended the meeting of the businesspeople of the two countries and described the strengthening of knowledge-based activities and cooperation as one of the important measures in the economic field and emphasised the necessity of establishing a technology office in Venezuela.
Raeisi said that neutralization of sanctions and empowerment in the economic field are the most effective way to deal with sanctions and said, "Young Iranians made opportunities out of sanctions through knowledge-based companies and were able to bring Iran to peace and stability against impulses".
The President described the relations between Iran and Venezuela very well and clarified, "In order to facilitate and accelerate the development of economic exchanges, with the implementation of the agreements, customs, banking and tariff barriers will be removed".
Emphasising that there is considerable untapped capacities to increase economic exchanges between Iran and Venezuela, the President stated that the way to realise the $20 billion cooperation is through serious activity and investment between the two countries.
The President considered the duties of Iranian ambassadors, commercial offices, the House of Science and Technology, and all departments active in the field of industry, mining and baking to facilitate trade between the two countries and solve the problems of Iranian companies.
MNA/President.ir
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