Venezuela's Maduro arrives in Iran for key talks
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Tehran on Friday for key talks with his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, state media in the Islamic republic said.
The two-day visit by Maduro was being made at the invitation of Raisi, the official news agency IRNA said.
Discussions would be held between the pair on Saturday, when high-level delegations from the two countries were also due to meet.
Alongside the likes of Russia, China, Cuba and Turkey, Iran is one of Venezuela's main allies. And like Venezuela it is subject to tough US sanctions.
Bilateral ties between the two oil producers were strong under late Venezuelan socialist leader Hugo Chavez and have been further bolstered under his successor Maduro.
In May, Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji met with Maduro during an official visit to Venezuela, which sits on the world's largest proven crude reserves.
Owji also met his Venezuelan counterpart Tareck El Aissami for talks on finding ways to deal with the economic sanctions imposed on both countries by the United States.
In 2020, Venezuela received two shiploads of fuel and derivatives from Iran to help address crippling domestic shortages.
Iran is the third country that Maduro is visiting this week after trips to Turkey and Algeria.
