Alghadeer TV Alghadeer TV
The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela has entered the Latin American country’s territorial waters despite the US threats.
The Iranian-flagged tanker, named Fortune, arrived in Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on Saturday evening, online tracking data shows.
When entering the Venezuelan waters, the tanker was closely followed by a US cargo ship, the Adam Joseph, according to media reports.
Los buques gringos el Cape Hope y el Adam Joseph le pasaron a un lado al Fortune. #Caribe pic.twitter.com/5KiGFMWhbt
— Alexis Acosta (@Acosta2dos) May 23, 2020
Earlier in the day, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani warned of retaliatory measures against the United States should Washington make “trouble” for Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela.
“If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face trouble [caused] by the Americans, they (the US) will also be in trouble in kind,” Rouhani said in a phone conversation with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Saturday.
In Caracas, the defense minister had pledged that the country’s Armed Forces would escort the tankers once they reached the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) due to what authorities described as threats from the United States.
The Iranian tanker ‘Fortune’ is followed by other four tankers – the Clavel, the Forest, the Faxon and the Petunia – all en route to Venezuela’s shores.
The tanker flotilla is carrying a total of 1.53 million barrels of gasoline to Venezuela, according to both governments, sources and calculations by TankerTrackers.com.
Update: Fortune Oil Tanker ⚓️??
Fortune Tanker vsl ..rcvd 23,May 21:29 UTC report:…….
ETA to EEZ of Venezuela:
< 2 Hours!
24 May, 0315-0330 Tehran Time per @IRI_SEAMAN
Lat: 11.40612
Long: -61.4051
Course: 243 °
Speed:13Kn
Victory is near!
ViVa great Venezuela ?? https://t.co/u3nHr1vzYQ pic.twitter.com/4usVQKIjc1— Suribelle (@Suribelle1) May 23, 2020
The hashtag #GraciasIran [Thank you, Iran] has been launched on Twitter to mark the arrival of the Iranian tankers, with netizens hailing the cooperation between Tehran and Caracas in defiance of the US de facto naval blockade.
The first Iranian-flagged oil tanker, which had been on route to deliver millions of barrels of gasoline to Venezuela, entered Venezuela's EEZ, and is being escorted by Venezuelan Navy and Air Force✌️#IranYVenezuelaUnionAntiimperialista #GraciasIranpic.twitter.com/eAP6K3i34C
— Brave (@Brave_313) May 23, 2020
Despite boasting the world’s largest proven oil reserves, Venezuela has been struggling to cover its domestic supply needs, with its energy industry ravaged by crippling US sanctions.
