Iran, Venezuela FMs Discuss Closer Ties

TEHRAN (defapress) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Venezuelan counterpart, Jorge Arreaza, exchanged views about a host of issues, including the latest efforts to boost bilateral relations between the two countries.

News ID: 79964

Date: 21 January 2020 - 11:14

In the meeting, held in Tehran on Monday, Zarif expressed his gratitude to the Venezuelan people and government for their sympathies with Iran after the martyrdom of revered commander Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the crash of a Ukrainian plane, which led to the deaths of dozens of Iranians.

The Venezuelan top diplomat, for his part, explained how Gen. Soleimani’s martyrdom affected the Venezuelan people, particularly the youth.

The two foreign ministers also exchanged views on bilateral relations and the latest regional and international issues.

General Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was the deputy head of Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha'abi (PMU), and a number of their entourage were killed in a strike by American drones near Baghdad International Airport on Friday, January 3.

The White House and the Pentagon claimed responsibility for the assassination of General Soleimani in Iraq, saying the attack was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump.

In the early hours of Wednesday, January 8, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) targeted the US airbase of Ain al-Assad in retaliation for the US move.

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