President of Venezuela Due in Iran Saturday

Heading a high-ranking politico-economic delegation, Maduro will arrive in Tehran on Saturday for an official visit at the invitation of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Press TV reported.

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, Raisi said Venezuela was targeted by the US because it seeks independence and freedom and fights against the arrogant system.

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

The US under the Donald Trump administration recognized opposition figure Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate president following the country’s 2018 presidential election. Trump ramped up sanctions against Venezuela, and floated the idea of invading the Latin American country to remove Maduro from power.

Many US allies originally recognized Guaido as president, but reversed course after the US-backed opposition suffered a humiliating defeat in the 2021 legislative elections.