Ayatollah Khamenei praises crew of Iranian tankers taking gasoline to Venezuela
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has issued a message praising the efforts of the crew and captains of tankers that took Iran’s gasoline to Venezuela despite threats by the administration of US President Donald Trump to take action against them.
“I thank all of you dear ones, captains and crew of the ship. You did a great job. Your move was a great feat. You made the country proud,” the Leader’s message read.
Iran sent five ships -- Fortune, Forest, Petunia, Faxon and Clavel -- carrying Iranian fuel to Venezuela in May and June to help revive oil refineries in the South American country, which is suffering from a severe fuel shortage caused by US sanctions.
Iran’s fuel shipments have drawn the ire of the US, which has imposed draconian sanctions on Iran and Venezuela with the aim of crippling their oil sectors.
US officials said Washington was considering responses to Iran’s move, prompting Tehran to warn of retaliatory measures if Washington causes any problem for the Venezuela-bound tankers.
The United States threatened stiff sanctions against foreign governments, shipping firms, seaports, and insurers if they aid the Iranian tankers.
In a letter to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres in May, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif issued a stern warning against the US' provocative acts through dispatching its naval forces to the Caribbean Sea with the goal of disrupting the course of Iranian tankers carrying fuel for Venezuela.
Zarif described "the illegal, dangerous and provocative US threats [against the Iranian tankers]" as a form of piracy and a big threat to international peace and security.
Read more:
- Fifth Iranian tanker carrying fuel sails into Venezuela’s territorial waters
- US threatens to sanction tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela: WSJ
- Maduro thanks Iran for sending oil tankers; slams US for disrupting fuel shipments to Venezuela
- Exclusive video: Venezuelan gunship escorts Iran’s fuel-laden tanker
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