Tehran, IRNA – Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, while wishing success to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has emphasized the need for boosting and broadening cooperation between the two friendly nations.
Congratulations to President Nicolas Maduro on his inauguration as President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Baghaei wrote in a message in Spanish language on his X social media network on Saturday night.
He added: We wish him success in serving the country and the great people of Venezuela and are eager to cooperate with the elected government for the good of the two nations of Iran and Venezuela.
Iran expresses solidarity with the people and government of Venezuela in the face of the evil interventions and unilateral and illegal US sanctions imposed against this country, Baghaei further said in his post along with the Iranian and Venezuelan flags.
Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term as president on Friday, nearly six months after winning the election.
Maduro, president since 2013, was declared the winner of July's election by both electoral authority and the country apex court after opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and some of his backers including the United States claimed the vote was rigged that then sparked the opposition-led violent protests in several Venezuelan cities.
During the inauguration ceremony, Maduro promised that his new presidential term would be a "period of peace."
Maduro previously served his country as Foreign Minister and Vice-President before winning the presidential election for the first time in 2013 following the demise of President Hugo Chavez.
The US-led West and some of their South American allies have a history of interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs and raising questions about its democratic processes.
Maduro's inauguration was illegitimate, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated in a statement, adding that his country will not recognize him as president, a usual tone Washington uses for a country it deems the enemy.
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