Third Iranian fuel cargo reaches Venezuela

The third cargo of an Iranian tanker flotilla carrying fuel for gasoline-thirsty Venezuela reached the nation’s exclusive economic zone as the previous two were discharging at state run PDVSA’s ports, Refinitiv Eikon data showed.

The Iran-flagged tanker Petunia crossed the Caribbean Sea earlier on Tuesday, following the same route as vessels Fortune and Forest. The Fortune arrived on Monday at a port serving PDVSA’s El Palito refinery, Reuters reported.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro thanked Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani for the assistance.

"Now we will be able to go in phases toward a new normal in terms of gasoline supply," Maduro said in a state television address.

The United States has criticized the shipment, as both OPEC nations are under sanctions. A U.S. official said earlier this month that President Donald Trump’s administration was considering responses to the shipment, prompting the Iranian government to warn Washington against military action.

The second tanker in the flotilla, the Forest, docked Tuesday at a port serving PDVSA’s second largest refinery, Cardon, in western Venezuela, according to two sources and the Eikon data.