Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Iran Rejects 'Baseless' US Comments on Aid to Venezuela

Associated Press

   TEHRAN, IRAN - Iran on Saturday denounced recent U.S. allegations that
   it was providing covert aid to help Venezuela overcome gas shortages as
   "baseless" without directly addressing them.

   Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week said "multiple aircraft"
   belonging to Iran's Mahan Air had transferred "unknown support" to
   Venezuela's government. He called for a halt to the flights and for
   other countries to bar overflights by Mahan Air.

   The Associated Press reported last month that Mahan Air was delivering
   key chemical components used for producing gasoline to help revive an
   aging refinery in the South American country, which is in the grip of a
   severe economic crisis.

   Venezuela has been suffering from widespread gasoline shortages despite
   having the world's largest oil reserves.

   Both Iran and Venezuela are under heavy U.S. sanctions, and have had
   close relations for the last two decades.

   Iran's Foreign Ministry tweeted that the "baseless comments were made
   in order to prepare the ground for mounting U.S. pressure on the
   Venezuelan government."

   Another statement said the U.S. intended to "obstruct the Venezuelan
   government's plan for reviving the country's refineries." The
   statements did not directly address the allegations or elaborate on the
   nature of the cooperation between the two countries.

   The Trump administration is pursuing a "maximum pressure" campaign
   aimed at ousting Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, and
   considers opposition leader Juan Guaido as the nation's legitimate
   leader. The U.S. and a coalition of nearly 60 nations say Maduro clings
   to power following a 2018 election that critics consider a sham because
   the most popular opposition politicians were banned from running.

   The Trump administration imposed heavy sanctions on Iran after
   withdrawing from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.