Tanker Forest delivers 44 mln liters of Iranian fuel to Venezuela: Report

A shipment of around 44 million liters of gasoline has secretly arrived at El Palito, Venezuela from Iran aboard handy size tanker Forest, according to a report by Tanker Trackers.

“This is according to our six weeklong tracking investigation. Forrest is the 3rd tanker we were expecting after Fortune and Faxon,” the report added.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro thanked ally Iran last year for helping the South American country overcome US sanctions on its oil industry and floated the idea of purchasing missiles from the country.

Washington maintains strict sanctions against Iran’s oil industry to try to halt the country’s nuclear program. In 2020, Tehran sent several gasoline cargoes to Venezuela to help it overcome fuel shortages, as well as equipment to help state oil company PDVSA repair its dilapidated refineries.

Washington has previously seized fuel from Iran-linked tankers that was bound for Venezuela, part of its efforts to disrupt trade between Venezuela and Iran.

Yahya Rahim-Safavi, former chief commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), told reporters in September that Iran helped "every Muslim and non-Muslim country" that asked for assistance.

He said Iran received gold bars in exchange for the gasoline previously delivered to Venezuela, sent by airplane "so that nothing would happen to it."

"[The Venezuelans] have stood up to the Americans, and we are helping them, giving them software and giving them ideas, such as how to mobilize the people and how to repel cyberattacks," he added.

- With Reuters

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