TEHRAN – Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has said that arrival of Iranian oil tanker in Venezuela breaks the United States’ “unacceptable” and criminal blockade”.

“The first of five Iranian oil tankers arrives in Venezuela breaking unacceptable and criminal blockade. #VivaLaSolidaridad Long live solidarity among the peoples,” he tweeted on Sunday.

Amid heightened tensions over what Venezuelan authorities described as threats from the United States, the oil vessel Fortune officially entered Venezuela’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at about 7:30 pm local time (11:30 GMT) on Saturday, according to the shipping tracker TankerTracker.

It is carrying more than a million barrels of fuel.

The U.S., which has imposed sanctions on both Venezuela and Iran, says it is monitoring the convoy. Both Caracas and Tehran have warned Washington not to interfere with the delivery.

The rest of the Iranian ships - the Forest, Petunia, Faxon, and Clavel - are expected to arrive in the coming days.

The U.S. recently beefed up its naval presence in the Caribbean for what it said was an expanded anti-drug operation. Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman claimed on Thursday he was not aware of any operations related to the Iranian vessels.

NA/PA