Continued Violation of International Sanctions; Another Iranian Ship Delivers Fuel to Maduro Regime
According to Bloomberg news agency, despite international sanctions against the Islamic Republic and the Maduro regime, an Iranian fuel-carrying ship entered Venezuelan territorial waters to deliver fuel to Nicholas Maduro’s regime.
Based on information Bloomberg obtained regarding the movement of tankers, the Iranian tanker “Forest” entered Venezuelan waters on the morning of Monday, September 28, and headed toward the “El Palito” port refinery.
Forest is one of three Iranian tankers carrying hundreds of thousands of barrels of fuel for Venezuela.
U.S. sanctions have limited Venezuela’s ability to import fuel from international markets.
The oil-rich country of Venezuela is in dire need of fuel due to years of mismanagement and widespread corruption by the ruling regime, lack of investment in the energy sector, and sanctions. Discontent in the country has increased as a result of deteriorating economic conditions, including fuel shortages.
Previously, Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said in an interview with the Persian service of Voice of America: “Iran and Venezuela are two sanctioned countries that have found no way out except to work with each other. These two countries have failed regimes and dysfunctional systems.”
According to Bloomberg, the isolation of Iran and Venezuela has caused the two countries to establish closer relations with each other, as international oil companies and shipping companies avoid dealing with Venezuela for fear of sanctions-related penalties.
Iran had previously sent fuel shipments to Venezuela. In August of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a statement that the United States had seized the cargoes of four ships carrying Iranian fuel, including approximately 1 million and 116 thousand barrels of crude oil.
The U.S. Secretary of State also said on Friday, September 19, that the United States seeks to establish democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela, and to achieve this goal, Nicholas Maduro, the head of the country’s illegitimate regime, must step down from power.
The United States and approximately 60 other countries consider the Nicholas Maduro regime illegitimate and recognize Juan Guaidó, leader of Maduro’s opposition, as the interim and legitimate president of Venezuela.
Source: Voice of America
