209
countries’ energy industries (euronews.com 2020). The economies of Iran and
Venezuela are dependent on energy exports, and in the present period, their economies are in bad shape. Venezuela’s oil reserves are so large that it produces 1.3 million barrels of gasoline a day, but Venezuela’s gasoline production capacity has
recently shrunk by 10% for various reasons, shutting down 1800 gas stations. The
decline in gasoline production in Venezuela is due to several reasons, the most
important of which is the US sanctions against this country; hence, the price of a
liter of gasoline in the open markets of this country increased by 200–400 times.
Another reason for the drop in gasoline prices in Venezuela was years of low
investment and lack of regular refinery maintenance work. The decline in gasoline
supply in Venezuela created several problems in the country, including disruption of
food distribution, so the people of this country asked the government to import
gasoline as soon as possible (alaraby.co.uk 2020).
Meanwhile, the production capacity of gasoline in Iran recently increased by
350,000 barrels per day to 110 million barrels per day with the launch of Phase 4 of
the Persian Gulf Star Refinery. In addition, due to the reduction of daily gasoline
consumption in the country, the export capacity of this product of oil has risen significantly (www.spglobal.com 2020a, b, c, d, e). Since April 2020, Iran has shipped
five tankers carrying a total of about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline to Venezuela,
which is in dire need of fuel, and these shipments have slightly reduced the long
queues at the country’s gas stations (www.reuters.com 2020a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i). In
solidarity with a friendly country suffering from intrusive US sanctions like itself,
Iran has been helping Venezuela repair its refineries and enhance its production of
refined products. Moreover, Iran has recently successfully challenged US sanctions
on Venezuela when it sent to Venezuela many tankers loaded with refined products
and diluents for Venezuela’s refineries. And despite extremely harsh US sanctions,
Venezuela is managing to sell its oil around the world with the help of friendly
nations. Both China and India are defying US sanctions and continuing to buy sizeable volumes of Venezuelan crude oil (Author’s interview with Dr. Mamdouh
G. Salameh, September 25, 2020).
There has been no coordinated response to the Covid-19 pandemic, its impact on
the economy, or the resurgence of far-right politics. Combined with the hardening
of state borders, it seems the international mechanisms that keep the word running
have moved into a less cooperative space to herald the emergence of a less cooperative and more fragile international system. These developments highlight the dangers of President Donald Trump’s America-first policies and his retreat from the
global arena. The United States has neither the will nor the means to outbid China
and other developing powers to form any kind of entente with global governments.
Several countries have come to view the current US attitude as a threat to their
autonomy. Additionally, regimes continue to welcome that a US-led order must now
face populist and other movements that oppose it (www.foreignaffairs.com 2020a,
b). Even at its height, Washington did not always get what it wanted. Currently, for
the US model to retain appeal, the United States must initially get its own house in
order. Beijing may have its own challenges to surmount and may trouble partners
and clients with its forceful tactics and mysterious dealings. However, a revitalized
US Maximum Pressure Campaign
countries’ energy industries (euronews.com 2020). The economies of Iran and
Venezuela are dependent on energy exports, and in the present period, their economies are in bad shape. Venezuela’s oil reserves are so large that it produces 1.3 million barrels of gasoline a day, but Venezuela’s gasoline production capacity has
recently shrunk by 10% for various reasons, shutting down 1800 gas stations. The
decline in gasoline production in Venezuela is due to several reasons, the most
important of which is the US sanctions against this country; hence, the price of a
liter of gasoline in the open markets of this country increased by 200–400 times.
Another reason for the drop in gasoline prices in Venezuela was years of low
investment and lack of regular refinery maintenance work. The decline in gasoline
supply in Venezuela created several problems in the country, including disruption of
food distribution, so the people of this country asked the government to import
gasoline as soon as possible (alaraby.co.uk 2020).
Meanwhile, the production capacity of gasoline in Iran recently increased by
350,000 barrels per day to 110 million barrels per day with the launch of Phase 4 of
the Persian Gulf Star Refinery. In addition, due to the reduction of daily gasoline
consumption in the country, the export capacity of this product of oil has risen significantly (www.spglobal.com 2020a, b, c, d, e). Since April 2020, Iran has shipped
five tankers carrying a total of about 1.5 million barrels of gasoline to Venezuela,
which is in dire need of fuel, and these shipments have slightly reduced the long
queues at the country’s gas stations (www.reuters.com 2020a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i). In
solidarity with a friendly country suffering from intrusive US sanctions like itself,
Iran has been helping Venezuela repair its refineries and enhance its production of
refined products. Moreover, Iran has recently successfully challenged US sanctions
on Venezuela when it sent to Venezuela many tankers loaded with refined products
and diluents for Venezuela’s refineries. And despite extremely harsh US sanctions,
Venezuela is managing to sell its oil around the world with the help of friendly
nations. Both China and India are defying US sanctions and continuing to buy sizeable volumes of Venezuelan crude oil (Author’s interview with Dr. Mamdouh
G. Salameh, September 25, 2020).
There has been no coordinated response to the Covid-19 pandemic, its impact on
the economy, or the resurgence of far-right politics. Combined with the hardening
of state borders, it seems the international mechanisms that keep the word running
have moved into a less cooperative space to herald the emergence of a less cooperative and more fragile international system. These developments highlight the dangers of President Donald Trump’s America-first policies and his retreat from the
global arena. The United States has neither the will nor the means to outbid China
and other developing powers to form any kind of entente with global governments.
Several countries have come to view the current US attitude as a threat to their
autonomy. Additionally, regimes continue to welcome that a US-led order must now
face populist and other movements that oppose it (www.foreignaffairs.com 2020a,
b). Even at its height, Washington did not always get what it wanted. Currently, for
the US model to retain appeal, the United States must initially get its own house in
order. Beijing may have its own challenges to surmount and may trouble partners
and clients with its forceful tactics and mysterious dealings. However, a revitalized
US Maximum Pressure Campaign