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What's Behind Iran's Fuel Shipment to Venezuela?

Mehdi Jedinia

   WASHINGTON - The arrival in Venezuela of five Iranian oil tankers is
   expected to ease the South American nation's gasoline crisis, while
   challenging U.S. sanctions targeting both countries.
   The Iranian fuel tankers began arriving in Venezuela last week under
   the protection of Venezuelan military forces, with the fifth cargo
   reportedly arriving on Sunday.
   Venezuela's oil sector has been acutely damaged by years of political
   and economic instability. Iran says the fuel shipment provided to
   Venezuela is about 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and petrochemical
   components.
   U.S. sanctions imposed on Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA also
   have crippled Venezuela's ability to import certain types of fuel from
   abroad, but the government of President Nicolas Maduro has turned to
   Iran for refining parts and fuel.
   On Saturday, Venezuelan officials announced that the Iranian gasoline
   has arrived at hundreds of gas station across the country.
   "Venezuela has the right to buy in the world whatever it wants to buy,"
   Maduro said in a recent speech. "Fortunately, Venezuela has more
   friends than what people can imagine."
   Defying Washington
   Iran and Venezuela are under U.S. economic sanctions, which has brought
   the two countries closer economically and politically.
   "Iran and Venezuela have always supported each other in times of
   difficulty," Venezuelan foreign minister Jorge Arreaza said in today
   last week, adding that, "Today we see the fruits of the multipolar
   world, of our Bolivarian Diplomacy for Peace and South-South
   Cooperation."
   The South-South cooperation refers to the technical cooperation among
   developing countries in the Global South, including the sharing of
   skills and resources.
   Some experts believe that the Iranian move to transport oil to
   Venezuela is a show of defiance against the U.S. by the two allies.

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