Iran welcomes Venezuela peace talks in Norway
Iran has welcomed high-level talks between Venezuela's government and the opposition in Norway, expressing hope that the parties would find a solution to the political impasse in the Latin American country.
"We hope that these talks will lead to a political solution and that Venezuela could rapidly improve the status of its economy and the livelihood of its people under peaceful circumstances," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Moussavi said on Saturday.
President Nicolas Maduro on Friday declared the beginning of negotiations with the US-backed opposition in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, in an effort to resolve the political stalemate.
"The talks have begun nicely to move toward agreements of peace, agreement and harmony, and I ask for the support of all Venezuelan people to advance on the path of peace," Maduro said while addressing some 6,500 troops.
Norway, which referred to the talks as "exploratory discussions," started the mediation to bring to an end a months-long crisis.
The Iranian spokesman further warned of interference by certain countries and its destructive consequences in the internal affairs of Venezuela.
"Unfortunately, the US has collectively punished the people of Venezuela by blocking and plundering the country's financial resources," Moussavi said.
He called on the White House to end its policy of "economic terrorism" and stop behaving against the principles of human rights regarding the Venezuelan nation.
Venezuela is going through political unrest. In January, tensions worsened after opposition figure Juan Guaido, who is also president of the National Assembly, unilaterally declared himself “interim president” of Venezuela.
The United States quickly accepted that self-proclamation and has since been working with Guaido.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Thursday that he was "very much supportive" of the Oslo talks.
Guaido also confirmed on Thursday that he had sent a delegation to Oslo, but denied that any direct negotiations had taken place.
On April 30, a small group of armed troops accompanying Guaido clashed with soldiers at an anti-government rally in Caracas in an attempted coup that soon petered out.
The administration of US President Donald Trump backed the attempted putsch, but Maduro, who has called Guaido a puppet of Washington, announced in a televised speech later in the day that the group of military personnel supporting Guaido had been defeated, and 25 renegade soldiers had sought refuge at the Brazilian Embassy in Caracas.
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