Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says US imperialism is a virus, which is "more dangerous" than the new coronavirus for the international community.
"Independent and freedom-seeking nations like Iran and Venezuela have always been under pressure as a result of the US statesmen’s excessive demands and bullying," Rouhani said in a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday.
"Iran and Venezuela have been successfully resisting the aggressive and old virus of the US for years through solidarity and expansion of cooperation," he added.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian president pointed to the country's plans and measures to counter the deadly coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, and meet its needs, including with regard to the production of diagnostic testing kits, and expressed Tehran's readiness to share its experience in the fight against the virus with Caracas.
Rouhani stressed the importance of further strengthening of bilateral cooperation, saying, "The expansion of cooperation and relations between the two countries will certainly serve the interests of the Iranian and Venezuelan nations."
Iran — the worst hit state by the coronavirus spread in the Middle East — has been doing its utmost to contain the respiratory disease despite the hardships created by US sanctions.
Backed by the Armed Forces, the Iranian government has set up makeshift hospitals, increased production of hygienic items, introduced precautionary measures, stepped up coronavirus tests and launched a nationwide screening process to detect patients and isolate them.