Iran celebrates tankers arriving in Venezuela amid US tensions
Tasnim media in Iran, which is close to the IRGC, celebrated the great victory on Sunday with coverage across its homepage. “A turning point for Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence,”
By SETH J. FRANTZMANShahid Rajaei Port in southern Iran near Bandar Abbas(photo credit: EMAD YEGANEHDOOST/FARS NEWS AGENCY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Iran celebrated the arrival of the first of five tankers arriving in Venezuela amid tensions with the US. Iran is supposedly under sanctions but it sent five tankers filled with gasoline to Venezuela to help bolster the regime of Nicolas Maduro. The US has sought to support the opposition leader and self-declared president Juan Guaido. Iran sending tankers to Venezuela was heralded as a great success by the Iranian government and media, a clear desire to humiliate US policies and show that Iran can do as it wants.Tasnim media in Iran, which is close to the IRGC, celebrated the great victory on Sunday with coverage across its homepage. “A turning point for Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence,” the reports said. Venezuela’s regime also said it was a victory, with its UN office celebrating how the Trump administration had been beaten. Tasnim reported that Trump and “his servants” had considered a military strike on the tankers. But the first tanker arrived safely, escorted by the Venezuelans. Iran warned the US not to interfere.Iran now celebrates its “brotherhood” with Venezuela as its gasoline is taken off. Venezuela is an oil producing state but Iran has refining abilities for gasoline and Venezuela needs the gas. Venezuela’s economy has been ruined by the socialist government and US sanctions and the thuggish ruling party.There are still chances for the US to make trouble for Iran’s tanker fleet. More ships will arrive in the coming days and then they have to go back to Iran. The port they came from was sabotaged by a cyber attack recently. US media pointed the finger at Israel for that incident. It’s unclear what the ships will do next. Furthermore, Venezuela is holding two Americans it accuses of being part of an ill-planned coup.
