Fourth Iranian tanker reaches Venezuela as US ups pressure
A State Department official said it is warning companies about doing oil-related business with Venezuela as the ships continue to arrive.
The fourth of five Iranian fuel tankers reached Venezuela amid reports on US efforts to stop them.
A US State Department spokesperson said US officials are working to stop energy companies from doing business with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, also known as PDVSA.
“We continue to engage with companies in the energy sector on the possible risks they face by conducting business with PDVSA,” the spokesperson told Al-Monitor.
The tankers carrying Iranian fuel from the Islamic Republic started arriving in Venezuela within the past week — escorted by the South American country’s naval and air forces. Venezuela’s once vibrant oil industry has been severely damaged by years of political and economic instability in the country. Both Iran and Venezuela are subject to US sanctions, which has led to strong ties between the two. The United States supports an opposition government to President Nicolas Maduro's in Venezuela.
