According to Teheran Times, the reason for the U.S.’s recent decision could be seen as getting back to Iran who had recently landed a heavy hit on the Trump Administration’s ego by sending 5 fuel loaded vessels to Venezuela before the eyes of the U.S navy.
The vessels delivered a total of 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and other oil products to the fuel-hungry Venezuelans in May.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned 4 shipping companies and their crude tankers for continuing to facilitate oil trading with Venezuela.
The tension between Washington and Teheran has been escalating since 2018 when U.S. President Trump withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on Iran.
Iran has repeatedly reported that it is Iran and Venezuela’s legal right to be able to trade with each other and no country can impede the economic transactions between the 2 countries which are both sanctioned by the U.S.
Iran also complained to the United Nations and summoned the Swiss ambassador in Teheran, who represents U.S. interests in Iran, over possible measures Washington could take against the Iranian tankers.
Regarding the recent sanctions, if Iran decides to continue trade with Venezuela it would use vessels belonging to its own shipping line most of which are already sanctioned by the U.S., so the new sanctions, despite their negative impacts on Venezuela’s global trade, would not have a huge effect on the trade between Iran and its Latin American ally.
Author: Ebrahim Fallahi
