Venezuelan leader, Iranian president sign 20-year agreement

By AMIR VAHDAT
Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and Iran’s hard-line president have signed a 20-year cooperation agreement in Tehran. The agreement Saturday comes after Maduro praised the Islamic Republic for sending badly needed fuel to his nation despite U.S. sanctions. In an interview with President Maduro after his arrival Friday for a two-day visit, Iranian state media reported that Maduro hailed Iran’s move to send fuel tankers to his energy-hungry nation. It is Maduro’s first visit to Iran. Tensions across the Middle East are high over the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers as U.S. sanctions and rising global food prices choke Iran’s ailing economy.