Five Iranian tankers carrying fuel enter Venezuela despite US' warning

The first of five Iranian oil takers recently entered Venezuela’s special economic zone. As per reports the tanker entered Venezuela’s economic zone on May 24 despite the fact that  US officials warned that Washington was considering a response to the shipment. The oil tanker is reportedly called Fortune and reached the country’s waters at 7:40pm local time.

Escorted by the Venezuelan military

According to reports, Venezuelan state television showed images of navy ships and aircrafts preparing to escort the oil tankers once it reached the country’s special economic zone. Venezuela’s defence minister in response to threats from the United States has pledged that the tanker would be escorted by the military.

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As per reports, the oil tanker is carrying 1.53 million barrels of gasoline to gas-starved Venezuela. Iran’s decision to send oil to Venezuela has resulted in a stand-off with the United States, both Iran and Venezuela are under US sanctions. The shipment has drawn wide criticism from the Venezuelan opposition which is worried about the strengthening ties between Iran and socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

The US have deployed a force of ships, including Navy destroyers and other combat ships, to patrol the Caribbean on what US officials call a drug interdiction mission. The Maduro government considers it a direct threat. According to reports, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on May 23 declared that if the US caused trouble for Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela or anywhere across the world the there would surely be retaliation.

Venezuela sits atop the world’s largest oil reserves, but it must import gasoline because production has crashed in the last two decades. Critics blame corruption and mismanagement by the socialist administration amid an economic crisis that has led to huge migration by Venezuelans seeking to escape poverty, shortages of basic goods and crime. The Iranian tankers hold what analysts estimate to be enough gasoline to supply Venezuela for two to three weeks.

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(Image Credit: AP)