IRNA � Presidents of Nicaragua and Venezuela in separate messages on Monday expressed their sympathy with Iranian government and nation on demise of ex-president Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

President of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega and his wife Vice-President Rosario Murillo in their message to President Hassan Rouhani called the late Ayatollah Rafsanjani as an outstanding figure in brotherly country of Iran.

The two senior officials wrote in their message 'We express our deepest and the most sincere condolences to Your Excellency, family of late Ayatollah Rafsanjani, Iranian government and nation.'

Meanwhile, Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, publishing an official statement on the occasion, announced that President Nicolas Madero had offered his deep condolences on demise of Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani.

The statement said Rafsanjani played important role in establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran and had noticeable influence on Iran's economic development before the imperialist aggression.

Government of Venezuela underlines its solidarity with Iranian government and nation and expresses its condolences on demise of Ayatollah Rafsanjani, the Venezuelan government's statement concluded.