Posted on 05/23/2020 3:11:06 PM PDT by blam
By as early as the evening on Saturday or Sunday morning it's expected that the first among the five Iranian tankers transporting fuel to gasoline-starved Venezuela will enter the Latin American country's coastal waters.
Maduro officials have issued an emergency notice to the United Nations of an illegal "threat of imminent use of military force by the United States."
And with Washington threatening to block what it deems "sanctions-busting" by two "rogue states" - both under severe sanctions - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has issued his own last minute warning.
Today we alerted the UN Security Council and Secretary General Antonio Guterres of the threat of imminent use of military force by the United States against Iranian vessels carrying Venezuelan-directed gasoline. An act of war under international law.
See here: pic.twitter.com/jyp8kqQZsQ — Samuel Moncada (@SMoncada_eng) May 22, 2020 “If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face trouble caused by the Americans, they [the United States] will also be in trouble,” Rouhani told the Emir of Qatar in a phone call, Tasnim News reported.
The Maduro government said days ago that it would send a military escort in the form of planes and ships once the tankers enter Venezuela's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), or within 200 miles of the coast.
Rouhani expressed hope there wouldn't be a showdown or conflict, however, amid prior reports of a Trump-ordered US 'naval build-up' in the Caribbean, in part to crackdown on what the administration has referred to Maduro's narcotrafficking operations in the region. The Iranian oil tanker Clavel headed through the Strait of Gibraltar earlier this month, via AP. “We hope the Americans will not make a mistake,” Rouhani stressed further to Qatar’s head of state, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Iran previously warned that any US attempt
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at ussanews.com ...
and you believe that?
“ What exactly is the legal basis for the U.S. to intercept foreign vessels like this in international waters?”
Our sanctions against those nations, of which we have made the world very clear.
The U.S. has no legal or moral right to use military means constrain trade among other nations that are not at war with the U.S.
You are correct
The gambit is a double feel good move that has negligible effect on Iran or Venezuela.
Venesuelans can’t eat gasoline
“ These sanctions apply to trade with the U.S.
The U.S. has no legal or moral right to use military means constrain trade among other nations that are not at war with the U.S.”
You are quite wrong.
Our existing sanctions on these countries extend to all nations. There is a series of US and international laws that combine to make such Sanctions legal.
Remember the Cuban Embargo? We let that go due to lack of will, but it is similar.
I don’t know why you’d cite the Cuban embargo to support your point. It actually reinforces MY point. Even at the height of the embargo you could still buy Cuban cigars in Canada, and Air Canada made regular flights to Havana even when these flights were shut down to/from the U.S.
My thought exactly. I might don’t like Iran and Venezuela but since both don’t trade with US how is it ant of US business? Is it 17th century or an era of Punic wars?
The Cuban embargo didn’t stop USSR, Poland and East German trade with Cuba.
Any country is within its rights to put sanctions on other country. To extent sanctions on trade by allies with a targeted country is an empire.
To extend sanctions on trade by non-aligned countries is piracy.
SEAL boarding party. But the Iranians probably have them wired for demo.
My Opinion, the tankers have missiles that can reach the SE US.
anyway did we stop them?
*** Underlying question for socialists...Why are the tankers needed to supply oil-rich Venezuela? ***
You may not like the source, but it explains simply why Venezuela needs help from countries not allied with the US’ Sanctions.
https://english.iswnews.com/13518/why-the-oil-rich-country-of-venezuela-gets-gasoline-from-iran/
Here's what I found.
First of 5 Iranian Gas Tankers Reaches Venezuela With No Sign of U.S. Interference
Still travelling parallel to the coast heading towards port. Telesur has a reporter on one of the escorting helicopters.
gasoline-starved Venezuela
Is the U.S. preventing Venezuela from unloading crude to be refined from American Companies?
Empty threat?
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