Venezuela and Iran boost bilateral relations

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Venezuela and Iran boost bilateral relations

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Caracas, Venezuela, 23 April 2008. Today, Venezuela and Iran concluded the Fifth Meeting of their High Commission on bilateral relations. During the meeting 15 cooperation agreements were negotiated on housing, sports education, and agriculture and energy cooperation. They were penned this evening in Caracas by the Iranian Minister of Industries and Mines, Ali-Akbar Mehrabian and various Venezuelan ministers. Iran and Venezuela have already signed 194 cooperation agreements. On Tuesday, President Chavez met with the Iranian delegation at the governmental palace.

Venezuela and Iran have kept a strategic alliance to counteract the US Bush Administration while promoting their own development programmes. The Venezuelan support to Iran at the IAEA became pivotal to consolidate their bilateral relation at a historical moment. President Khatami- who was very close to President Chavez- had just left office after the electoral victory of Ahmadinejad. Furthermore, bilateral relations were in need of mending: They were badly damaged after Caracas backed the United Arab Emirates claim on the island of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs during an Arab-Latin American Summit. After such diplomatic faux pas was overcome, bilateral relations continue to flourish despite US attempts to affect them.

The Bush administration has launched a very sturdy campaign to classify Venezuela and Iran as rough states. However, Iran continues to consolidate its bilateral relations with other regional countries such as Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador. In order to boost relations with the region, there will be an Alternative Initiative for the Americas (ALBA) exhibition in Teheran this year.  

More news to come

Sources: VTV, PressTV,RNV,Prensa Latina,Irib,ABN,    

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