Iran, Venezuela ‘steadfast’ in countering US sanctions: Official

Iran slams the US sanctions against the captains of five Iranian oil tankers which delivered fuel to Venezuela in defiance of US bans, saying such moves will not keep Tehran and Caracas from defying Washington’s sanctions against both nations.

According to Press TV, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday announced sanctions on five Iranian ship captains who delivered oil to the fuel-starving Venezuela.

On early Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi described the fresh bans as another “desperate” move by the US against Iranian individuals, and a sign of the miserable failure of the Trump administration’s so-called “maximum pressure”.

“Despite US pressure, Iran and Venezuela remain steadfast in countering unlawful American sanctions,” Mousavi added.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has also described the new sanctions as “an outburst of arrogance” and “more evidence of the Trump hawks’ hatred of all Venezuelans.”

Speaking at a news conference, Pompeo announced the sanctions and warned mariners against doing business with the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

“As a result of today’s sanctions, these captains’ assets will be blocked. Their careers and prospects will suffer from this designation,” Pompeo said in a statement later.

Last month, five Iranian oil tankers set off for the Caribbean and delivered about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline to Venezuela which is under a virtual American economic siege.

Iran now plans to follow its trailblazing shipment of fuel to Venezuela with regular gasoline sales despite US threats to punish any facilitation of the cargoes.

ME