in remarks made on Monday local time in Venezuela, Raisi termed the strengthening of knowledge-based cooperation between Iran and Venezuela as one of the most important measures that could lead to a major expansion of ties between the two countries.
Iran and Venezuela can increase bilateral trade to $10 billion in the medium term and to $20 billion in the long-run, said Raisi at a joint meeting of the businessmen of Iran and Venezuela on Monday.
Referring to the activation of new shipping lines between the two countries, Raisi said that it is important to expand cooperation in the fields of industry, mining, energy, and banking to deepen the ties between Iran and Venezuela.
He added that despite the expansion of Iran-Venezuela ties in recent years, the two countries need to implement their previous agreements as quickly as possible to upgrade their relations to higher levels.
Emphasizing that a new world order is emerging, the Iranian president said that such developments is to the benefit of freedom-seeking and independent countries of the world.
He also said that in order to facilitate and accelerate economic exchange, barriers to customs, banking, and tariff will be removed with the implementation of the bilateral cooperation agreements.
During his official visit to Caracas, Raisi also held a meeting with Iranian and Venezuelan businessmen.
Raisi was officially welcomed on Monday by his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas.
He is in Venezuela on the first leg of a regional tour that will also take him to Nicaragua and Cuba.
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