Rouhani Slams US Push To Obstruct Freedom Of Trade As 3rd Oil Tanker Docks In Venezuela

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2020) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani scolded the United States on Wednesday for seeking to obstruct its trade with other countries as its third oil tanker arrived in Venezuela, flouting the pressure campaign on the two sanctions-hit nations.

Earlier in May, the media reported that the US was planning to block Iranian oil shipments to Venezuela, including by confiscating the vessels and imposing sanctions on the crew. Tehran has warned Washington against doing so, with the Venezuelan navy escorting the tankers as they approach its exclusive economic zone. The Pentagon said last week that it had no operations underway to stop the tankers, but stated that the shipments were in clear violation of US sanctions against both nations.

"The Americans are seeking to interfere even in normal trade between Iran and a friendly country (Venezuela) in the shipment of an oil product, while it has nothing to do with them and (such interference) does not conform with any law," Rouhani said at a cabinet meeting, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency.

The president went on to say that the unity among Iran's branches of power had prompted the US to abstain from any act of aggression against these ships. Otherwise, an incident similar to the seizure of Iran's oil tanker in the summer of 2019 in Gibraltar might have taken place in the Caribbean Sea, according to Rouhani.

The statement comes a day after a third Iranian tanker carrying fuel and oil refinery equipment docked in Venezuela. In total, Tehran is expected to send five tankers to the Bolivarian republic.