Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (L) & Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (R), 2023. | Photo: teleSUR

Tehran, June 8 (RHC)-- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will travel next week to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba to strengthen relations with these Latin American countries.

Accompanied by a high-ranking delegation, Raisi will leave Tehran on Sunday, the 11th.  His trip aims to promote economic, political and scientific cooperation. He is also expected to meet with local businessmen and activists.

This will be Raisí's first trip to Latin America since he took office in August 2021.  Until now, he had focused his visits on neighboring countries in the Asian region.  In February, Iranian Foreign Minister Hosein Amir Abdolahian visited Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela as part of a Latin American tour.  During his stay, he exchanged views with senior officials from those countries.

For over a decade, U.S. arbitrary sanctions have contributed to the strengthening of good diplomatic relations between these countries.

The 2020 gasoline shortage in Venezuela, for example, evidenced Iran's solidarity ties with the Bolivarian people, since Tehran collaborated in both the purchase of fuel in international markets and its transportation to Venezuelan territory.

Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua and Venezuela fight in international forums against U.S. policies targeting nations that do not align with Washington's will.