In These New Times

MOSCOW, September 7 (RIA Novosti) – Venezuelan authorities announced its readiness to supply Iran with 20,000 barrels of gasoline per day, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.

“A strategic decision has been made to export 20,000 barrels of gasoline per day from Venezuela to Iran,” the agency reported quoting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as saying.

The agency added that according to Chavez, who has been recently on an official visit to Iran, the deliveries of gasoline will start in October.

Chavez is currently on an 11-day foreign trip that began last week to take him to Russia, Belarus, Syria, Algeria, Libya and Iran.

Speaking before the trip Chavez said that “Iran is for us a strategic partner, with whom we have recently concluded a range of deals in the spheres of defense, energy, industry and technology,” adding that Venezuela was ready to “strengthen” its ties with the Islamic Republic.