CARACAS: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi embarked on a visit to Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua on Monday, aiming to strengthen ties with these “friendly countries” that are all under sanctions imposed by the United States.
Raisi’s visit began in Caracas, where he was welcomed by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil and was scheduled to meet with President Nicolas Maduro later in the day.
Prior to his departure from Tehran, Raisi stated that his visit was in response to the invitations from the presidents of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba, with the aim of enhancing “economic, political, and scientific cooperation.” These four nations are also aligned with Russia, which has faced international isolation due to its invasion of Ukraine last year.
Raisi highlighted the progress in cooperation between Iran and the visited countries over the past two years, particularly in the fields of industry, agriculture, science, technology, and medicine. Both Iran and Venezuela are members of the OPEC oil cartel, and their collaboration becomes significant amid global discussions on the energy crisis stemming from Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Venezuela, which possesses the world’s largest oil reserves, has been grappling with a severe political and economic crisis.
Cooperation Between Iran and Venezuela
In 2022, President Maduro visited Iran, signing a 20-year agreement to bolster cooperation in the oil, petrochemicals, and defense sectors. Last February, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian visited Caracas, engaging in discussions with Maduro on safeguarding their national interests in the face of external pressures.
Iran’s assistance to Venezuela has included sending 1.5 million barrels of fuel and supplies to aid in the restart of struggling refineries, actions that have drawn accusations from Washington of sanctions circumvention. The United States had sent delegates to Caracas last year, engaging in talks with Maduro’s government, and subsequently granted a temporary license to US energy giant Chevron to operate in Venezuela.
The last visits by Iranian presidents to Cuba and Venezuela were made by Hassan Rouhani in September 2016, while Nicaragua’s last presidential visit occurred in 2007 with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
