Venezuelan president to visit North Korea

Tour will include visit to Iran, Vietnam; nuclear program on agenda

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez plans to visit North Korea, Iran, and Vietnam in late July, Germany’s DPA news agency reported on June 30, citing an announcement by Venezuela’s foreign ministry.

During the planned visit, President Chavez was slated to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation in energy.

The Iranian ambassador to Venezuela, Ahmad Sobhani, said, “The two nations will discuss an exchange of peaceful use of nuclear energy technology.”

North Korea and Iran are currently embroiled in a heated dispute with the United States because of their nuclear development programs. On June 11, President Chavez confirmed in a televised speech that he will soon visit North Korea and Iran.