CARACAS, Venezuela, Sept. 26 (UPI) -- Venezuelan Mining Minister Rodolfo Sanz said his country is receiving help in its search for uranium deposits from Iranian experts.
Sanz said geophysical tests and aerial surveys conducted by experts from Iran suggest his country, which has a nuclear energy cooperation deal in place with Russia, has large deposits of uranium in the states of Bolivar and Tachira, RIA Novosti reported Saturday.
While Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been a staunch supporter of Iran's nuclear program, Sanz said Venezuela would not provide Iran with any uranium.
RIA Novosti said Chavez, whose country is a longstanding member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, wants Venezuela to have a nuclear power program.
The president has maintained his country has no intentions of producing atomic weaponry using uranium deposits.