Najjar: Iran set to help promote Venezuela's defense capabilities

Tehran, April 30, IRNA - Iran's Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Iran was ready to help promote defense capabilities and deterrence power of Venezuela in the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries.

He made the remarks in a meeting with the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas during his three-day visit to the country.

Chavez, for his part, said that Bolivarian Revolution shared many commonalities with Islamic Revolution.

He said such commonalities have further consolidated ties between the two countries.

Lauding the roles the Supreme Leader of the Islamic revolution Ayatollah Khamenei and Presidnet Mahmoud Ahmadinejad played in developing bilateral ties, Chavez also said that Iran enjoyed a very outstanding status in Venezuela's foreign policy.

"The two countries' armed forces are guards of independence, security and peace," he added.

Najjar's visit to Venezuela is the first ever by an Iranian Defense Minister in the past three decades.

Iran, Venezuela ink MoU on defense

Iran and Venezuela signed a memorandum of understanding on defense issues on Thursday.

The document was signed by Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar and his Venezuelan counterpart Ramon Alonzo Carrizalez at the end of the second round of the talks between the two men.

The Venezuelan minister stressed the need to strengthen ties with Iran in all fields, especially in the defense arena.

Referring to two countries' commonalities, Najjar described bilateral defense ties as strategic and said that these relations were established based on stability and sustainable security.

Carrizalez, for his part, said further consolidation of defense ties with Iran was of high significance for his country.

The deal inked by the two ministers underlines deepening Tehran-Caracas defense ties and cooperation in the field of education and exchanging experience on defense.