Iran’s oil tanker named Faxon which reportedly is destined for Latin America, has passed through the Strait of Gibraltar.
Faxon is the fourth Iranian tanker after Forest, Petunia and Fortune which have traversed the Mediterranean and passed through Gibraltar Strait towards Latin America, most possibly Venezuela, reports by Western institutes which track vessels in the international waters show.
Iran has have not yet confirmed or rejected exports of its oil products to Venezuela.
Iran’s fifth tanker named Clavel has also passed through the Suez Canal and is moving towards Gibraltar. The vessel loaded fuel at the end of March at Iran’s Bandar Abbas port.
The tankers' voyage come after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro turned to Iran for help in flying in chemicals needed at an aging refinery amid a petrol shortage, a symptom of the wider economic crisis gripping Latin America's one-time largest oil producer. Both Iran and Venezuela are under US sanctions.
None of the Iranian tankers has turned off their GPS systems despite the common procedures of oil exports in conditions of sanctions imposed by the US.
The tracking map provided by vesselfinder.com on May 18, 2020 shows that Iran's Faxon oil tanker has passed the Strait of Gibraltar.
Reuters had quoted a senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration as saying that the United States is considering measures it could take in response to Iran’s shipment of fuel to Venezuela.
Informed sources told Nour News website, close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), that the US has sent four of its combat warships along with Boeing P-8 Poseidon fighters to the Caribbean.
Nour News warned that any "pirate-like" action to trigger insecurity for Iranian tankers in international waters "will be a serious gambling which will not remain unanswered by Tehran".
The tracking map provided by vesselfinder.com on May 18, 2020 shows that Iran's Clavel oil tanker has passed through the Suez Canal and is en route to Gibraltar.
Iranian Government Spokesman Ali Rabiyee blasted the US interference in trade exchange between Iran and Venezuela, and stressed that Iran will not hesitate to sell its oil.
“Iran and Venezuela are two sovereign states. Besides conducting trade and business activity with other countries, Iran has commercial exchanges with Venezuela, too,” Rabiyee said.
He pointed to some rumors spread in the recent weeks on the trade exchanges between Tehran and Caracas, and added, “Iran sells goods to Venezuela and buys goods in exchange. This trade is none of anybody’s business.”