The State Department says the United States and Venezuela have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations in a major shift in a historically adversarial relationship.

Venezuela's state-owned mining company on Monday inked a multimillion-dollar deal to sell as many as 1,000 kilograms of gold destined for U.S. markets, two sources familiar with the deal tell Axios. Why it matters: The arrangement shows the tightening commercial bounds between Venezuela and the U.

In a call with Axios on Thursday, President Trump stated that he must be personally “involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader, drawing a direct comparison to the recent transition of power in Venezuela.

We cut off all oil, all money, or we cut off everything coming in from Venezuela, which was the sole source. And they want to make a deal,” Trump told POLITICO.

President Trump praised interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez amid reports that his administration was threatening to indict her if she did not continue to cooperate with the U.S. “Delcy Rodríguez who is the President of Venezuela,

Critics question the administration’s decision to join a massive corporate investor with a state-owned company once sanctioned for illegal activities.

Venezuela is home to large reserves of rare earths, gold and other valuable minerals that the Trump administration wants to exert more control over.

U.S. approves American Airlines flights to Venezuela, clearing a return to Caracas and Maracaibo after more than six years.

President Trump said Thursday that he must be personally involved in the process of selecting a new leader in Iran. In an interview with Axios published Thursday, Trump said the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,

Venezuela energy partnership is moving at "Trump speed" toward a "golden age of abundance" as American companies show interest.