Venezuela FM Confers With Zarif

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met his visiting Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza on Saturday in Tehran and discussed issues of mutual interest and concern. Zarif and Arreaza also exchanged views on ways to improve economic collaboration, Mehr News Agency reported. Regional and international developments were also discussed by the two ministers. They discussed the US interference in the internal affairs of independent countries, particularly Venezuela. Venezuela has been Iran’s friend in recent years, mainly due to the fact the two share opposition to US hegemony across the globe and are targets of unilateral US sanctions. Caracas’ relations with Washington, which have been contentious  for almost 20 years, have become increasingly cold in recent months. Venezuela accuses Washington of fomenting violence and fuelling an economic crisis in the Latin American state to weaken the rule of the anti-US ruling establishment.