208
Iran’s Fuel Shipment to Venezuela
The US withdrawal from JCPOA and the sanctions on Iranian oil exports in May
2018 made the situation even more difficult for the Iranian oil industry. The US
effort to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero allowed Iran to sell oil only on the gray
market or to continue selling its oil using a third country. Despite all the problems
caused by the sanctions on Iran’s industry and economy, Tehran did not make a
fundamental change in its foreign policy and missile program. However, the root of
all the problems in Iran’s economy cannot be attributed to sanctions (https://iranintl.
com 2020). Iran and Venezuela have been sanctioned by the United States. The
embargo on Iran, known as the “maximum pressure policy,” is aimed at “changing
the Islamic Republic’s behavior” in the nuclear, missile, and regional fields, and in
the case of Venezuela follows the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro and the transfer of power to Juan Guido (www.washingtonpost.com 2020).
The sanctions brought Iran closer to relations with countries opposed to US policies. Increasing the level of cooperation in all fields with such countries became the
main priority of Iran’s foreign policy. In recent weeks, political contacts between
Iran and Venezuela have increased. Meanwhile, Mahan Airlines flights to Caracas
have increased even more. The closer relations between Tehran and Caracas have
not been favorable for the United States. Washington has imposed sanctions on both
Fig. 6.2 Iran Oil Production Capaicty 2011–2019. Iran oil output
6 Trump Energy Diplomacy
Iran’s Fuel Shipment to Venezuela
The US withdrawal from JCPOA and the sanctions on Iranian oil exports in May
2018 made the situation even more difficult for the Iranian oil industry. The US
effort to reduce Iran’s oil exports to zero allowed Iran to sell oil only on the gray
market or to continue selling its oil using a third country. Despite all the problems
caused by the sanctions on Iran’s industry and economy, Tehran did not make a
fundamental change in its foreign policy and missile program. However, the root of
all the problems in Iran’s economy cannot be attributed to sanctions (https://iranintl.
com 2020). Iran and Venezuela have been sanctioned by the United States. The
embargo on Iran, known as the “maximum pressure policy,” is aimed at “changing
the Islamic Republic’s behavior” in the nuclear, missile, and regional fields, and in
the case of Venezuela follows the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro and the transfer of power to Juan Guido (www.washingtonpost.com 2020).
The sanctions brought Iran closer to relations with countries opposed to US policies. Increasing the level of cooperation in all fields with such countries became the
main priority of Iran’s foreign policy. In recent weeks, political contacts between
Iran and Venezuela have increased. Meanwhile, Mahan Airlines flights to Caracas
have increased even more. The closer relations between Tehran and Caracas have
not been favorable for the United States. Washington has imposed sanctions on both
Fig. 6.2 Iran Oil Production Capaicty 2011–2019. Iran oil output
6 Trump Energy Diplomacy