TEHRAN (Iran News) – Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Monday thanked the crew of five Iranian tankers after delivering much-needed fuel and refining components to Venezuela last month.
Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in a message on tankers to Venezuela “May God give strength to all of you, captains and the ships’ crew. You did a great job… You made the country proud”.
The fleet carried 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and components to Venezuela in late May amid tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Tehran and Caracas had warned Washington, which criticized the supply, over any attempt to intercept the ships.
The oil industries of Iran and Venezuela are both under unilateral US sanctions. Iran provided its fellow OPEC member with the supply to help ease an acute shortage due to the sanctions.
Upon the arrival of the first Iranian tanker, Venezuelans stormed Twitter to express gratitude to Tehran for the shipment.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday hailed Iran, Russia, China, and Cuba as real friends of Caracas and expressed gratitude for their humanitarian aid.
“Humanitarian aid is coming from China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba. They are true friends,” Maduro said in a televised speech.
He also rebuked the US, saying Washington had promised $20 million in aid, “but not a single dollar came through”.
The United States has over the past few years imposed harsh economic sanctions on the oil-rich South American country to pressure Maduro to step down, forcing millions of Venezuelans to abandon their homeland due to a lack of basic food and necessities.
Press TV contributed to this story.
- source : Iran Daily, Irannews