From June 11, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will begin a visit to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba to strengthen relations with these three Latin American countries in the economic, political and scientific fields.
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| Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during the unveiling of a new ballistic missile in Tehran, Iran on June 6, 2023. (West Asia News Agency) |
This is Mr. Raisi's first visit to Latin America since taking office as President in August 2021.
Previously, President Raisi focused on visiting neighboring countries to strengthen Tehran's network of partners in the Middle East. Therefore, the upcoming trip will be an opportunity for Iran to expand the depth of its alliances in Latin America, specifically strengthening relations with three countries: Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba.
Regarding the relationship between Tehran and Caracas, the two countries have become trusted partners and have become increasingly close since the time of the late President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013). During the recent tenure of President Nicolás Maduro, Iran is considered an indispensable ally of Venezuela in the process of implementing its foreign policy strategy.
As Venezuela fell into a fuel crisis in 2020, Iran promptly delivered fuel to Caracas. The two sides also regularly exchange high-level delegations, typically President Maduro's official visit to Tehran in May 2022, where he was welcomed by his counterpart Raisi and Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In addition, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, one of Iran's key allies in Latin America, expressed his approval of Tehran's uranium enrichment program and called on Israel to "disarm" to reduce the risk of conflict.
During the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to Nicaragua last February, the two countries' governments signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation and consultation in Managua.
Political ties between Iran and Cuba have also grown closer in recent years. During Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas’ visit to Iran last year, Tehran and Havana agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of technology and food security.
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