Maybe you don’t know about the collaborations between Iran and Venezuela.
In 2009, President Hugo Chávez supported Iran by sending 20,000 barrels per day of gasoline, who suffered a cut in its supply due to sanctions imposed by the United States.
May 2020. The Iranian government rewards Venezuela for this aid by sending 5 gasoline ships to face the shortage also caused by the US blockade.
Our peoples need to know about the heroic people and government of Iran who defy U.S. sanctions, amid U.S. pressure tactics, by sending fuel shipments to Venezuela while denouncing the illegal U.S. maritime threats against international peace and security. 🇮🇷🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/fvssMwswh8
— Camila (@PrensaCamila) May 18, 2020
The Venezuelan oil industry is receiving a new impetus to repower the country’s oil refineries. Review with us these data
First, let’s remember that the deterioration of the industry has its main cause in Washington’s unilateral coercive measures: PDVSA cannot acquire necessary parts and spare parts.
However, PDVSA workers began work for several months to restart the Cardón refinery, which has the capacity to process 305,000 barrels of oil.
Iranian and Chinese technical assistance is focused on supporting that effort: both countries send equipment and parts to Venezuelan refineries.
Media attacks on Iran are not coincidental, the Foreign Ministry responded to unsubstantiated allegations by Elliott Abrams, who said the Venezuelan government was making “gold payments” to Tehran to obtain inputs for the oil industry.
Yed Seyed Abás Musavi, head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said that the Trump administration was an attempt to undermine the Venezuelan oil revival and undermine binational agreements with the Islamic Republic.
That geopolitical actors of the stature of Iran and China get involved in the plan of Venezuelans to improve their national oil industry, cleverly drawing the Washington’s blockade shows that if there is an “isolated” government, it is not Venezuela’s.
May 23,2020 first Iranian tanker reaches Venezuela economic zone
Venezuelan naval patrol boats set out to meet the first oil tanker arriving from Iran as it enters Venezuelan territorial waters. Exclusive @teleSURtv images from @madeleintlSUR, courtesy @rolandoteleSUR pic.twitter.com/MqOxenX6G8
— Camila (@PrensaCamila) May 23, 2020
Welcome, Fortune ship! Iranian Ship entered Venezuelan waters, Saturday May 23, a date that will remain in history as a symbol of Resistance of 2 sovereign countries that fight against US #imperialism pic.twitter.com/rqVOpMcQNG
— www.anoncandanga.com (@anon_candanga) May 24, 2020
On the night of Saturday, May 23, the Fortune, an Iranian-flagged vessel, reached Venezuelan jurisdictional waters carrying approximately 45.5 million gallons of gasoline and related products, aiming to alleviate the gasoline shortage derived from the U.S. blockade.
TeleSUR correspondent Madeleine Gracia, who sailed to international waters to transmit the information in real-time, reported that the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) did not face any problem receiving the oil tanker Fortune and accompanying it to port.
“The mission proceeded perfectly normally,” Garcia stressed, adding that the other four Iranian tankers – Petunia, Forrest, Faxon, and Clavel – would arrive in Venezuela in a few hours.
Just before 9pm Caracas time, @madeleintlSUR informed from on board a Venezuelan military escort vessel, via satellite phone, that Iran's first fuel tanker "Fortune" has entered Venezuelan jurisdictional waters. Venezuelan admiral says the entry was without incidence. pic.twitter.com/riG2cXHrQR
— Camila (@PrensaCamila) May 24, 2020
Last week, an anonymous senior Trump administration official said that the Iranian fuel shipment “is not only unwelcome by the United States but it’s unwelcome by the region and we’re looking at measures that can be taken,” a statement that, even though never confirmed by U.S government, was seriously taken by Iran as a threat.
TeleSUR reports the arrival of the Fortune tanker in Venezuelan jurisdictional waters, which is escorted by the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB)
Due to the possibility of a U.S. attempt to prevent the arrival of the tankers, Iranian authorities warned then against U.S. interference with commerce between sovereign states.
“Coercing nations into complying with the U.S. illegal demands threatens multilateralism, as the foundation of international relations, and sets a dangerous precedent, paving the way for those who aspire rather divide, not unite nations,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif wrote to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on May 22.
A few hours before the Irani tanker’s arrival, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza spoke with members of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) about the negative effect of the U.S. coercive measures.
Through a videoconference, the Bolivarian official told them that the U.S. blockade involves arbitrary and illegal actions against the Venezuelan people.
Furthermore, when the COVID-19 generates health emergencies worldwide, the U.S. harassment becomes a crime against humanity, which prevents the Venezuelan state from acquiring not only supplies for its oil industry but also food and medicine for its people.
