Ambassador Dismisses Claim of Seizure of Iranian Tankers as “Lie”

In a twitter post on Friday, the Ambassador rejected the fake news that the US has seized four tankers carrying Iranian oil.

He wrote: “Yet another lie and psychological warfare by the US propaganda machine. The tankers are neither Iranians, nor their owners or flags have anything to do with Iran. The terrorist Trump just wants to cover up the humiliation of his failure against the great nation of Iran by scattering false propaganda.”

The US newspaper Wall Street Journal on Friday morning carried an “exclusive” report quoted from American officials who claimed the tankers were seized within the past few days without the use of force.

The newspaper claimed, ” The Trump administration has for the first time confiscated cargo in vessels allegedly loaded with Iran fuel in violation of sanctions, U.S. officials said, as it steps up its campaign of maximum pressure against Tehran.”.

Claiming that “4 Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela have been seized by the US,” it said, “The Luna, Pandi, Bering and Bella, were seized on the high seas in recent days and are now en route to Houston.”

Last month Reuters carried news claiming that “U.S. prosecutors filed a lawsuit to seize the gasoline aboard four tankers that Iran is trying to ship to Venezuela, the latest attempt by the Trump administration to increase economic pressure on the two U.S. foes.”

A warrant was also issued by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg for the seizure of the more than 1.1 million barrels of gasoline in the four vessels aims to stop the flow of revenues from oil sales to Iran, Reuters added.

Earlier, five tankers delivered Iran’s oil to Venezuela successfully.

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro appreciated Iran’s supports for his country and, terming Tehran and Caracas as two capitals who favor peace, stressed their right for free trade.