The Trump administration has seized the cargo of four tankers it was targeting for transporting Iranian fuel to Venezuela, US officials said Thursday, as it steps up its campaign of maximum pressure against the two heavily sanctioned allies.
But, officials in Tehran maintained no Iranian ship or gasoline cargo has been seized. “Iran, as it has repeatedly stated, will not tolerate any such hostile actions ... and has not allowed any country to take such measures,” the unnamed official told IRNA.
But according to US government sources, tankers carrying Iranian fuel cargoes, covered by a US warrant for seizure, were now sailing to the US after talks between the American authorities and ship owners.
Iran had planned to transport the gasoline to Venezuela, a supply line that both Tehran and Caracas have flaunted in defiance of US sanctions.
US has imposed sanctions on both countries to choke oil exports and deprive their governments of their main source of revenue.