"Relations with Venezuela are strategic and they symbolize Iran's ties with other Latin American countries," Ahmadinejad said prior to his departure for Caracas on Thursday.
He noted that fortunately Iran has good relations with all Latin American countries.
President Ahmadinejad, heading a high-ranking delegation, departed for Venezuela's capital, Caracas, late Thursday to attend the inauguration ceremony of Nicholas Maduro as the Latin American country's new president.
The Iranian president is accompanied by Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Government Spokesman Gholamhossein Elham and several others of his senior aides.
Earlier this week, President Ahmadinejad in a message congratulated Maduro on winning the presidential elections in Venezuela.
"This great victory is another seal of approval on the successful leadership of justice-seeking, freedom-seeking and independence-seeking of Latin American leaders, including the late President Hugo Chavez, in Venezuela," the Iranian president said in the message to his Venezuelan counterpart on Monday.
President Ahmadinejad noted that Maduro's election has great significance in establishing a new world order considering Venezuela's effective position among independent nations in their freedom-seeking movement.
"Venezuelans once again reaffirmed the importance of continuing the Bolivarian Revolution and emphasized on historical demands of all justice-seeking nations in the world for continued social, economic, scientific and cultural development in order to establish independent countries by relying on national potential," he added.
Chavez died about one month ago due to cancer and Maduro was elected as Venezuela's new president.
