Iran has disclosed that five tankers, loaded with a staggering 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and components have arrived Venezuela.
Iran ignored warnings of retaliation from the US as the first of five Iranian tankers entered Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone on Saturday May 23, 2020.
“The Iranian oil/chem Handymax tanker, FORTUNE, which loaded 43 million liters of gasoline during mid-March at Port Shahid Rajaee, Iran, has now moored at berth 2 at the refinery of El Palito, Venezuela, situated west of capital city, Caracas,” tweeted TankerTrackers.com.
A second vessel, the Forest, entered the Caribbean Sea on Saturday. The three remaining vessels were crossing the Atlantic.
The shipments have caused a diplomatic war between the United States and the other two countries, Iran and Venezuela, which are under US sanctions.
Iran has warned of repercussions from the potential interception of Iranian tankers by the US In a phone conversation with Emir of Qatar on Saturday.
Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, warned that the Islamic Republic will respond to any possible US aggression against Iranian oil tankers in the Caribean Sea or any other point in the world.
Iran’s Defense Minister, Brigadier General Amir Hatami, has also declared that the country will respond to any form of attack on Iranian tankers.
“Any disruption for tankers is against international regulations and security,” referring to the release of some reports on the threat of US officials to harass tankers carrying Iran’s fuel to Venezuela.
“Both international organisations and countries that are sensitive to water regulations and security must react to this issue,” he added.
