Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said on Thursday that threats hurled by the United States at other governments of imposing sanctions in case they facilitate supplies of Iranian oil to Venezuela are unacceptable.

“Certain warnings voiced a few days ago by the U.S. administration to governments around the world regarding any cooperation in Iran oil supplies to Venezuela go beyond any acceptable limits,” TASS quoted her as saying during a briefing.

She added, “To add to the previously put forward threat against insurers and ship owners, Washington now threatens port administrations, owners and captains of vessels. In the last few days, the U.S. Treasury expanded the sanction list by adding four more shipping companies engaged in Iran oil deliveries to Venezuela, extending the restrictions in place and other aggressive statements.”

Conn Hallinan, a columnist for Foreign Policy In Focus, has said that arrival of Iranian fuel tankers in Venezuelan waters was a crack in wall of the United States’ illegal sanctions against Caracas.

This action is a step in reducing “pressure” on Venezuela, Hallinan said, adding the Venezuelan people were in dire need of fuel.

This shipment brought revenue for Iran and from this point of view it was “a crack in wall of the United States’ illegal sanctions,” he told IRNA in an interview published on Monday.

He noted that the Iranian tankers entered the Western hemisphere despite the U.S. sanctions which was a “thorn in Trump’s side”.

The 5th and last Iranian fuel tanker reached Venezuelan waters on Sunday.

Tehran’s decision to send Iran-flagged tankers to Venezuela amid U.S. sanctions against both countries has infuriated those in the White House.

Iran has warned to retaliate any aggression against its tankers while noting that it has the inherent right to trade with other countries.

NA/PA