An Iranian plane allowed by the United States to carry weapons to terrorist groups has landed in Venezuela

A cargo plane has been built Revolutionary Guardian of Iran It is owned by a company subject to sanctions United States Landed this Monday El Libertador Air Base is halfway between the cities of Palo Negro and Marrakech in Venezuela.

This is an airline registration EP-FAB It is part of the company’s portfolio Qeshm Fars Air, Was a company Allegedly by the United States accused of participating in the shipment of weapons to Syria.

Reported by special accountant Conflicts, The plane took off from the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday night and made a technical stop in Mauritania and landed in the Venezuelan capital at 18:00 GMT.

The company was approved by the United States in January 2019. At the time, the U.S. Treasury Department was arguing The company’s “supply of dangerous goods” to Syria “allows Iranian military support” for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, for which the company has been placed on the blacklist.

Last year, Dozens of aircraft from Iranian airline Mahan Air have brought in supplies to help repair refineries in Venezuela. Iran has sent two fuel tanks to Venezuela to address a severe fuel shortage in the South American country.

This is the only link between Iran and Venezuela that is causing concern in the United States. The Pentagon said on Friday that it was “monitoring” the stopping of two Iranian warships Its ultimate goal Strength According to the American media, be Venezuela, he declined to comment on what Tehran’s purpose would be.

“We are monitoring the deployment of these two ships,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed at a news conference. Kirby pointed out that “questions” about “what is the purpose” should be asked in Tehran. “I’m not going to guess what they want to try. But yes, we’re looking at it,” he added.

According to the American media, the Macron was one of the ships sailing south on the east coast of Africa. It is considered to be the largest made in Iran and has a base to carry up to seven helicopters.

For now, the Iranian and Venezuelan governments have a close relationship and are silent on the final destination of the ships. Tehran has limited itself to referring to the crossing of international waters in the Atlantic Ocean.

The presence of warships could challenge US authority in the region and provoke controversy in Washington. Around the decision of President Joe Biden’s administration to reopen talks with Tehran.

At the end of May, negotiations resumed in Vienna (Austria) to try to secure the 2015 nuclear deal, With the expectation that there will be an agreement on Iran resuming its obligations and reuniting the United States.

Germany, China, France, United Kingdom, Russia and IranThe remaining countries in the agreement have been trying to resume an agreement on EU-coordinated relations since last April. The United States, which now abandoned the deal in 2018 during the tenure of former President Donald Trump, Participates in contacts indirectly through intermediaries.

In August last year, under the Trump administration (2017-2021), The United States has confirmed the seizure of a fuel tanker belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guardian Corps (IRGC) assigned to Venezuela.

With information from Reuters and EFE

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