Iran's Oil Minister meets Venezuela's President Maduro in Caracas

The talks come weeks after a US delegation visited the Venezuelan capital amid high oil prices

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro meets Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji in Caracas. AFP

Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji has met Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to discuss ways to "overcome" the effects of US sanctions against their nations.

State TV broadcast images of the talks at the presidential palace in Caracas.

Mr Maduro said on Twitter that it was "a productive meeting to deepen the ties of brotherhood and co-operation in energy matters".

Recibí al excelentísimo Javad Owji, Ministro de Petróleo de la hermana República Islámica de Irán. Un encuentro productivo para profundizar los lazos de hermandad y cooperación, en materia energética. También, le reiteré nuestra gratitud y cariño con el pueblo iraní. pic.twitter.com/DwatP0PgmT

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) May 3, 2022

Earlier, Mr Owji held talks with Venezuelan Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami to discuss "the construction of routes and mechanisms to overcome the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States government and allied countries", AFP reported, quoting the Venezuelan Oil Ministry.

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Mr Owji's visit to Venezuela, has the world's largest proven reserves of crude, came weeks after a visit by US officials as global oil prices increase owing to the war in Ukraine.

In March, a US delegation held a meeting with Mr Maduro, whose legitimacy as president is disputed by Washington.

Iran said last month that its oil production capacity ha returned to the levels before US sanctions were reimposed in 2018.

Iran had strong ties with Venezuela were strong while Hugo Chavez was president, between 1999 and 2013. Relations were bolstered further under his successor Mr Maduro.

Venezuela, which blames US sanctions for the collapse of its once-flourishing oil industry, is allied with Iran, Russia and China.

In 2020, Venezuela received two shipments of fuel and derivatives from Iran to help address domestic shortages. A few years earlier, Venezuela was still the main supplier to the US.

During a visit to Caracas that, Javad Zarif, Iranian foreign minister at the time, said his country would remain on Venezuela's "side".

Updated: May 03, 2022, 7:55 AM