Iran president slams US sanctions during visit to Nicaragua
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Hashim Sheikh
- . June 14, 2023
- . Update: June 14, 2023 6:35 pm
The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, met with Daniel Ortega, the President of Nicaragua, on Tuesday during his first visit to Latin America.
Also Read – Iran President Raisi Starts Latin America Tour With Stop In Venezuela
During the meeting, the Iranian president rallied against United States (US) sanctions. He said, “The United States (US) wanted to paralyze our people with threats and sanctions, but it hasn’t been able to do it.”
Ebrahim Raisi and Daniel Ortega also attended a joint appearance in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. Raisi also met the Nicaraguan Vice President, Companera Rosario Murillo.
The Iranian hardline president’s visit to Nicaragua is his second stop of the tour, after Venezuela. He is also scheduled to visit Cuba, a country in the Caribbean.
Various Nicaraguan and Iranian officials reportedly face U.S. sanctions for crushing dissent and imprisoning opponents.
On Monday, Raisi met with Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela. The two leaders also signed various cooperation agreements. The Iranian president said, “They do not want the two countries, Iran and Venezuela, to be independent. We have decided to increase cooperation.”
Iran and Venezuela also signed a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation in petrochemicals. They also agreed to expand their partnership in other areas. Raisi’s visit to Venezuela came a year after Maduro visited him in Tehran. Iran and Venezuela, both under U.S. sanctions, also agreed to facilitate cooperation in oil exploration and development. The Venezuelan president also called for an expansion of the bilateral relationship between the two nations. He said, “We are on the right side of history, and together we will be invincible.”
Raisi’s next stop is Cuba. Raisi is set to meet Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel y Bermúdez, the President of Cuba. This comes amid rising tensions between the Iranian government and the administration of US President Joe Biden.
Also Read – United States and Iran Not Discussing Interim Nuclear Deal, US Official Confirms
Earlier, the Iranian president called Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba “friendly countries.”
