US Concerned About 'Energized' Iran-Venezuela Ties - Envoy

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) The United States views growing ties between Iran and Venezuela with concern and is determined not to let it become a new factor of instability in the Western Hemisphere, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said on Friday.

"As we look at the newly energized ties between Iran and Venezuela in our hemisphere we are very concerned about it," Hook said during an online briefing at the Hudson Institute. "We are determined to [ensure] that this relationship doesn't become a new form of instability in our hemisphere.

US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams, also present at the briefing, called the relationship between heavily sanctioned Iran and Venezuela a case of "two pariah states finding each other." He explained that Venezuela is unable to buy gasoline and Iran has plenty of it and is willing to sell it for Venezuelan gold.

"He [Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro] is able to say to Iranians 'Well, you want gold, I'll give you gold.' And the Iranians have an enormous amount of oil and gasoline but they are having a hard time getting rid of them. It's a practical arrangement - gold for gasoline," Abrams said.

Over the past month, Iran sent to Venezuela five tankers loaded with fuel and equipment for oil refineries that the Latin American country's crumbling oil infrastructure needs. The move was considered by the US to be a violation of restrictions imposed by it on both countries. In late June, the United States introduced sanctions against Iranian ship captains who allegedly delivered fuel to Venezuela.

Abrams added that for both countries, whom he described as "essentially friendless", the rapprochement is also a way to say "We are not really that isolated." Ideologically, their relationship thrives on "hatred of the US, probably more that anything else," Abrams added.