Rouhani bashes Israel during meeting with Venezuelan foreign minister
President Rouhani’s office released a statement about how Iran and Venezuela will cooperate in power plant construction and technological knowhow.
By SETH J. FRANTZMANIranian President Hassan Rouhani October 1, 2019. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/ALEXEI DRUZHININ/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)Venezuela’s strongman Nicolas Maduro sent Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to Tehran on Tuesday for a meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Iran, Turkey and Russia are allies of Venezuela’s regime, which has been responsible for human rights abuses and plunged the country into economic disaster. In Iran, the foreign minister listened as Rouhani bashed Israel and the “Zionist regime’s policies in the world.”Maduro tweeted that Arreaza met with Iran's foreign minister, “brother Javad Zarif.” They discussed bilateral relations and mutual defense, as well as talking about “international law” and paying lip service to the UN charter.The Venezuelan strongman also slammed US Secretary Mike Pompeo for recent statements, calling the US a “failure” in its foreign policy. Arreaza posted a similar tweet, apparently part of Venezuela’s latest fussilade against the US. The US has supported Juan Guaido, a Venezualan political leader who recently met Pompeo and who has declared himself president as part of a dispute between the National Assembly and Maduro’s regime.Iran is chuffed to have the Venezuelan delegation in Tehran. President Rouhani’s office released a statement about how the countries will cooperate in power plant construction and technological knowhow.Tehran slammed the US sanctions against Iran and Venezuela, and claimed the US is involved in a conspiracy against both countries. “Today it has become the enforcer of the Zionist regime’s policies in the world,” Rouhani complained.Rouhani thanked Venezuela for its sympathy over the death of IRGC General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by the US on January 3. The two countries vowed to stand together against the US and its actions.Iran is not Maduro’s only champion in the Middle East. Turkey, under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has become a key ally of the Venezuelan strongman. Last year, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry vowed to continue to support Caracas. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has claimed that problems in Venezuela could affect all of Latin America. “Turkey recognizes Maduro as the legitimate government of Venezuela,” he said last year.Turkey’s leader recently attended a summit in Malaysia with Iran where they vowed to create an Islamic currency to get around US sanctions. Such a currency could aid Venezuela’s Maduro. In 2018, Maduro visited Turkey and was caught on film eating flamboyant and “extravagant” meals with Turkish celebrity chef Salt Bae as Venezuelans suffer economic hardship at home. Maduro, who claims to be a socialist, was accused of enjoying the good, privileged life in Turkey.
