{"id":254770,"date":"2024-02-19T12:00:21","date_gmt":"2024-02-19T12:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=254770"},"modified":"2024-02-15T05:21:37","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T05:21:37","slug":"us-seizes-plane-that-iran-sold-to-venezuela-imperialism-at-its-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2024\/02\/us-seizes-plane-that-iran-sold-to-venezuela-imperialism-at-its-best\/","title":{"rendered":"US Seizes Plane That Iran Sold to Venezuela–Imperialism at Its Best"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

A Venezuelan-owned Boeing 747, operated by Venezuela’s state-owned Emtrasur cargo line [AP]<\/p><\/div>\n

The US claims Iran violated its sanctions when it sold the jumbo jet to Venezuela.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

13 Feb 2024<\/em> – The United States has seized a Boeing 747 cargo plane that Iran sold to a Venezuelan state airline, drawing condemnation from Tehran.<\/p>\n

The US Department of Justice announced late on Monday that it had taken custody of the aircraft after Argentina grounded it 18 months ago. Washington says that the sale of the plane to Venezuela in 2022 by Iran\u2019s Mahan Air violated its sanctions on Tehran.<\/p>\n

The US has imposed sanctions on the airline due to its affiliation with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Mahan Air\u2019s sale of the aircraft to Venezuela\u2019s Emtrasur violated these sanctions, Washington said. Following the deal, Argentina grounded the jumbo jet in July 2022.<\/p>\n

\u201cMahan Air \u2013 known to ferry weapons and fighters for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah \u2013 violated our export restrictions by selling this airplane to a Venezuelan cargo airline. Now, it\u2019s property of the United States government,\u201d said Assistant Secretary of Export Enforcement Matthew S Axelrod in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Since the US started imposing its toughest unilateral sanctions yet on Iran in 2019, Washington has been treating the IRGC \u2013 a crucial military and economic component of the establishment in Iran \u2013 as a \u201cforeign terrorist organisation<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u2018Possessions and belongings\u2019<\/h2>\n

Iran was swift to blast the US move. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned it as \u201cillegal\u201d in a short statement, contended that it violated the United Nations Charter, and vowed to help Caracas in reclaiming the Boeing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Islamic Republic of Iran announces its decisive support for the legal and diplomatic efforts of Venezuela in order to regain ownership and access to the possessions and belongings of the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Venezuela\u2019s government called the transfer a \u201cshameful rapacious operation\u201d and vowed to \u201ctake all actions to restore justice and achieve the restitution of the aircraft to its legitimate owner\u201d without elaborating on any detailed steps.<\/p>\n

The administration of Tehran-allied Nicolas Maduro<\/a> condemned Argentina for \u201ccolluding\u201d with the US and violating international aeronautics regulations and the rights of Emtrasur.<\/p>\n

The US Justice Department cited court documents claiming that the registered captain of the aircraft was a former commander of the IRGC and a shareholder and board member of Fars Air Qeshm, which the US claims to be affiliated with the foreign operations Quds Force<\/a> of the IRGC branch charged with operations outside Iran.<\/p>\n

Since Argentinian authorities grounded the plane, the US has been seeking to take possession.<\/p>\n

The US Justice Department said the US-built plane is scheduled to be disposed of after having arrived in Florida. It did not elaborate further.<\/p>\n

_______________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Maziar Motamedi is a Tehran-based journalist who covers Iran.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Go to Original – aljazeera.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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