"We condemn the US threat to Venezuela," Zarif said, addressing a joint press conference with his Venezuelan counterpart Delcy Elonia Rodriguez Gomez in Tehran on Monday.
Zarif's remarks came in reaction to an executive order by US President Barack Obama last month who declared a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela
The Iranian foreign minister condemned the US for describing Venezuela as a threat to the US interests, and said, "I believe that similar to Iran, Venezuela's resistance against foreign threats will result in failure of those threats."
Zarif pointed to the status quo of Iran-Venezuela relations, and said, "We have very deep and enhanced relations (with Venezuela) based on our common views, interests and stances, which demand further cooperation and coordination in different areas."
Referring to his meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart in Tehran today, the Iranian foreign minister said, "We discussed mutual economic cooperation and political consultations, specially Venezuela's membership in the UN Security Council and the role it can play in settling regional crises."
He noted that the two sides also discussed the international crude policies, and said, "We are glad that the Venezuelan oil minister is accompanying the delegation and is due to meet his Iranian counterpart Bijan Namdar Zanganeh."
The Iranian foreign minister reiterated the importance of cooperation among all OPEC member-states, and said, "I hope that cooperation and consultation by the two countries' officials will be useful for peace and security at regional and international levels, specially considering that Venezuela will assume presidency of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) after Iran."
In mid-March, a White House spokesman explained that Venezuela was a threat because of Venezuelan officials past and present who violate the human rights of Venezuelan citizens and engage in acts of public corruption
He further asserted that these officials will not be welcome in the US, and said, We now have the tools to block their assets and their use of US financial systems.
Seven individuals have been targeted by the White House. There have been other sanctions against Venezuelan officials and citizens in the past.
Caracas has strongly condemned the statements by President Obama and other US officials.
Meantime, the leaders from other Latin American countries have also condemned the US threats against Venezuela.
So far the US has not provided any tangible evidence that "the Venezuelan officials have violated human rights or indulged in public corruption".
In November, former Venezuelan Foreign Minister Rafael Ramirez called for further cooperation between Caracas and Tehran.
"The two countries share views on different issues, specially about the existing oil market situation, and we are eager to broaden our bilateral ties," Ramirez said after Zanganeh in Tehran.
He, meantime, voiced his concern over the falling crude prices, and called on OPEC member-states to reach a consensus during the upcoming November 27 meeting to devise mechanisms to increase the oil prices in the international markets.
Ramirez said that Tehran and Caracas hold common stance on the oil market, and said, "Venezuelas objective is to support global crude oil prices and we believe that the prices are standing very low now and instability will not benefit any element in the crude oil markets.
By Fars News Agency
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