رئیس مجلس شورای اسلامی، محمدباقر قالیباف، در مصاحبه ای به پایان سفر خود به آمریکای لاتین اشاره کرد. این سفر شامل گشت به ونزوئلا، کوبا و برزیل بود و تأکید بر توسعه روابط اقتصادی و سیاسی بین ایران و این کشورها داشت. قالیباف از ونزوئلا به عنوان یکی از مقاصد اصلی خود یاد کرد، ل Legislation and economic cooperation were the main topics of discussion with the country’s top officials, including the president, speaker of parliament, and ministers of foreign affairs and transportation.
قالیباف خlusively noted the potential for further cooperation in energy, knowledge-based industries, and agriculture, emphasizing the role of active parliamentary diplomacy in realizing these potentials. He also mentioned significant progress in tariff-free trade agreements between Iran and Venezuela, which are expected to be finalized in the upcoming bilateral economic cooperation commission.
During his visit to Cuba, said the speaker, discussions with the president and the speaker of the Cuban parliament focused on enhancing cooperation, especially in agriculture and energy. Given Cuba’s advanced pharmaceutical and medical sector, an agreement was reached to exchange four Iranian nuclear medical kits with the Cuban president, highlighting the mutual benefits in this field.
In Brazil, the final destination of his trip, قالیباف participated in the 11th session of the BRICS parliamentary forum, emphasizing the strategic importance of BRICS for Iran in both bilateral and multilateral relations. He noted that BRICS countries represent 49% of the world’s population and account for 24% of global trade, making them a significant economic and political bloc. The Iranian parliament speaker highlighted the need to expand economic ties, particularly in trade imbalance with Brazil, where Iran’s exports amount to only 1 billion euros compared to Brazil’s 7 billion euros.
In a broader context, قالیباف stressed the shared positions of BRICS countries against unilateral U.S. policies and their strong desire to enhance economic cooperation. He also met with the heads of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies and Senate, emphasizing the need to balance trade and explore new opportunities, such as in the agricultural and petrochemical sectors.
The trip also included cultural and diplomatic engagements, such as participating in the 36th anniversary of the passing of Imam Khomeini in the Iranian embassy in Brazil, which was attended by diplomats, intellectuals, and students.
قالیباف concluded by stating that despite the tight schedule, the trip was highly productive in advancing parliamentary and economic interactions, aligning with Iran’s foreign policy priorities and the active role of parliamentary diplomacy in achieving national goals.
During the trip, a team of Iranian MPs, including the heads of friendship groups with Brazil, Venezuela, and Cuba, accompanied said the speaker of the parliament, contributing to the discussions and agreements reached during the visit.