Venezuela's President Maduro due in Iran for key talks

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro is expected to pay an official two-day visit to Tehran to hold talks with senior Iranian officials.

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Maduro will arrive in Tehran on Saturday at the invitation of PresidentSeyyed Ebrahim Raeisi.

The Venezuelan president will meet his Iranian counterpart and attend a session of high-level delegations from the two countries.

Both Iran and Venezuela have managed to withstand economic pressures from the United States, and have closely cooperated to offset the impact of illegal sanctions, particularly those targeting their energy sectors.

Iran has supplied fuel shipments and equipment needed in crude refineries to Venezuela in the face of US pressure on the country's shipping and trade services. Venezuela has also received major shipments of condensate, a diluent of heavy oil, from Iran.

In a phone call with his Venezuelan counterpart in December, Iran's President Raeisi said Venezuela was targeted by the US because it seeks independence and freedom and fights against the arrogant system.

Raeisi lauded Tehran-Caracas relations as "strategic," adding that the development of mutual ties, especially in trade and economic fields, is a necessity.

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