Iran’s Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh says the Islamic Republic fully supports the government of Venezuelan President Nikolas Maduro, stressing that the change of governments does not alter the overall policy and approach of Tehran toward Caracas.

According to The Iran Project, Nasirzadeh, who is also the Iranian head of the Joint Economic Commission of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Venezuela, made the remarks at a meeting with Venezuela’s Minister of Transportation Ramon Blazquez in Tehran on Thursday.

Nasirzadeh further told Blázquez, who is also the Venezuelan head of the Joint Economic Commission of the two countries, that late Iranian president Ebrahim Raeisi and late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez were the founders of a new chapter in the relations between the two countries.

“We must strive, as the officials of the joint commission for economic cooperation, to further develop these relations,” the Iranian defense minister stressed.

“Mr. Chavez was a pioneer of the anti-imperialist struggle, leaving a rich legacy for Venezuela, which is today stands at the forefront of the fight against imperialism and global hegemony,” Nasirzadeh said.

 

Caracas announced late last week that authorities had detained five foreign nationals, including three Americans, on suspicion of planning an attack on Maduro and his government, and plotting to “destabilize” the South American country through “violent actions.”

According to Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, authorities had seized 400 American-made rifles from the squad.