TEHRAN Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi here on Monday stressed that the Iranian Judiciary functions independently.

In a meeting with the visiting Head of the Venezuelan Judiciary Ivan Rinken Ourdanta, he outlined position of the Judiciary in Iran's Constitution.

Referring to several cultural points shared by Iran and Venezuela, Ayatollah Shahroudi stressed the need for legal cooperation between the two countries.

Briefing his Iranian counterpart on the position of Judiciary in his country, Ourdanta voiced Venezuela's readiness to have judicial cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

An agreement on judicial cooperation is to be signed by the Iranian and Venezuelan officials during Ourdanta's stay in Tehran.

The Venezuelan Judiciary chief Arrived in Tehran Sunday at the head of a high-ranking delegation on a five-day official visit to Iran.

He is accompanied by a member of Venezuelan Supreme Court judges and director general of the social services, in his Tehran visit.

Venezuela is one of the most important South American countries which enjoys cordial cooperation with Iran in the political and economic areas and within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).