Currently there are five Iranian-flagged tankers transporting fuel to Venezuela across the Atlantic Ocean, with plans to break the American blockade on the Latin American country.
On Tuesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo named China as helping to facilitate the scheme to 'smuggle' gold out of Caracas as payment for the inbound Iranian gasoline as well as refining supplies and support.
The State Department specifically identified Chinese firm Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited, saying it's now blacklisted the company for sanctions violations related to Iran and Venezuela.
"The People's Republic of China is one of the rapidly dwindling number of countries that welcomes Mahan Air, which ferries weapons and terrorists around the world for the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo announced.
Washington has long considered Mahan as essentially a front for elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operations, but it's the first time Beijing has been linked so forcefully to helping "Ferry weapons and terrorists around the world" while assisting Mahan Air.
In April a series of sanctioned Mahan flights landed in Venezuela to transport badly needed equipment to fix fuel refining plants for domestic gas consumption amid a severe national shortage.
In the past months the US administration also reportedly ordered a naval build-up in the Caribbean in order to thwart 'illegal' sanctions-busting activities involving Venezuela.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pompeo-accuses-china-helping-irans-gas-gold-sanctions-busting-venezuela
On Tuesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo named China as helping to facilitate the scheme to 'smuggle' gold out of Caracas as payment for the inbound Iranian gasoline as well as refining supplies and support.
The State Department specifically identified Chinese firm Shanghai Saint Logistics Limited, saying it's now blacklisted the company for sanctions violations related to Iran and Venezuela.
"The People's Republic of China is one of the rapidly dwindling number of countries that welcomes Mahan Air, which ferries weapons and terrorists around the world for the Islamic Republic of Iran," Pompeo announced.
Washington has long considered Mahan as essentially a front for elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps operations, but it's the first time Beijing has been linked so forcefully to helping "Ferry weapons and terrorists around the world" while assisting Mahan Air.
In April a series of sanctioned Mahan flights landed in Venezuela to transport badly needed equipment to fix fuel refining plants for domestic gas consumption amid a severe national shortage.
In the past months the US administration also reportedly ordered a naval build-up in the Caribbean in order to thwart 'illegal' sanctions-busting activities involving Venezuela.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pompeo-accuses-china-helping-irans-gas-gold-sanctions-busting-venezuela
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