On his first trip to Latin America, Iran’s hardline President met his Venezuelan counterpart on Monday and declared both countries share “a common enemy,” referring to the United States. They then signed a number of cooperation agreements.

The visit of President Ebrahim Raisi to Venezuela was a year and one day after Nicolas Maduro had visited him in Iran. Both countries are subject to heavy U.S. sanctions.

Raisi stated that the relationship between the two nations “is not normal but rather a strategy relationship”, insisting on the fact that both countries have “common enemies and common interests.”

Raisi, referring to the U.S. Government, said: “They don’t want two countries to be independent, Iran and Venezuela.” His tour to Latin America’s allied countries, including Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, coincides with rising tensions between the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden.

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The U.S. accuses Iran of supplying Russia with materials for a drone production plant east of Moscow. Meanwhile, the Kremlin is seeking to secure a constant supply of weapons to support its invasion of Ukraine. U.S. officials believe that the plant in Russia will be operational by early next year. However, Iran claims to have supplied drones before the beginning of the conflict.

The agreements that were signed Monday by the officials of the two countries include the scholarships for Venezuelans students as well as the importation of cattle into Iran. Maduro visited Iran last year and signed agreements that would expand the ties between the oil, petrochemical and military industries. Only a few of these agreements have been implemented.

Since the death of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela and Iran have had close ties. Maduro became president after Chavez’s death in 2013. He has tried to counter the effects of economic sanctions by promoting trade relations with Iran.

Iran has, in particular since 2020, helped Venezuela to alleviate a part of its fuel shortage.

Maduro stated, “We will be unstoppable together as we are on the right-hand side of history.”