Five Iranian tankers full of gasoline approach Venezuela, potentially ending a major fuel shortage which is having devastating consequences in sanction-hit Venezuela. US officials are making it clear they aren’t happy with that.
A big part of the US objections is that between failed regime changes and sanctions, getting Venezuela into this desperate state was very expensive. Keeping Iran having a lot of extra gasoline was also the result of US policy,. so this all naturally was a reaction from US policy.
Elliott Abrams, the special representative for US hostility toward Venezuela, complained that Iran and Venezuela are “two pariah states finding that they are able to exchange things they need for things they have.”
Which is to say, trade. Venezuelan officials dismissed US complaints, saying commerce with Iran is nothing new and they’ve been trading for 20 years. It is just now running contrary to US bids for regime change in Venezuela, which is why it is becoming a bigger deal.
US Concerned by Growing Iran-Venezuela Ties
Venezuela notes they've been trading with Iran for decades
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