1st Iranian Ship Reaches Venezuela With No Sign of US Threat
1st Iranian Ship Reaches Venezuela With No Sign of US Threat
AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth said to Associated Press that he didn’t expect the United States would act against the Iranian tankers as such an act could escalate too quickly.
The first of five tankers loaded with gasoline sent from Iran reached Venezuelan waters late Saturday, expected to temporarily ease the South American nation’s fuel crunch while defying Trump administration sanctions targeting the two U.S. foes...
Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas and Americas Society research center, said he didn’t expect the U.S. would act against the Iranian tankers. Such an act could too easily escalate, he said, especially in the Persian Gulf where Iran could retaliate against U.S. ships.
“(That) would needlessly undermine the narrative that Venezuela, with the world’s largest proven oil supply, has to import gasoline from Iran of all places because they have become such an international pariah,” Farnsworth said. “If they don’t, Caracas claims a great victory for the fatherland and tries to portray the U.S. as impotent.”...
