Iranian experts are helping Venezuela in their search for uranium reserves, says the Venezuelan Minister of Basic Industries and Mining.

Rodolfo Sanz told reporters that Iranian and Venezuelan experts are jointly conducting geophysical tests and aerial surveys to find uranium deposits in the mineral-rich state of Bolivar and Tachira of the South American country.

Early this month Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez declared that preliminary steps have been taken for Venezuela to kick off its plan to establish a "nuclear village" with the help of the Iranians.

The site would pave the way for Venezuela to benefit from peaceful nuclear energy, Chavez said.

Sanz also noted that Chavez had asked Venezuelan officials to assess the uranium reserves during a three-year period.

"Our geophysical probes indicate we could have important uranium reserves," Reuters quoted Sanz as saying on September 26.

Chavez also told France's Le Figaro daily on September 9 that his Iranian counterpart President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had agreed to transfer peaceful nuclear technology to Venezuela.

"I thank him for the technology transfers from Iran to Venezuela. We signed a new agreement last week in Tehran," he said after his visit to Tehran.

DB/ZAP/DT