Venezuela to export gasoline to Iran

TEHRAN, Iran — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sealed an agreement to export 20,000 barrels per day of gasoline to Iran, state TV reported Monday. The deal would give Tehran a cushion if the West carries out threats of fuel sanctions over Iran's nuclear program.

The two countries signed the agreement late Sunday during a visit by Chavez, who pledged to deepen ties with Iran and stand together against what he called the imperialist powers of the world.

Western leaders have threatened to impose further sanctions against it should Iran refuse to bend to deadlines for talks aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear activities. One idea that has been touted, though not yet formally proposed, is to cut off exports of gas station-ready fuel to Iran.

One of Iran's weakest points is its dependence on fuel imports. Despite its vast oil resources, it lacks the refinery capacity to meet its own demand and must buy vast quantities of commercial-ready fuel on the open market.

The Venezuelan fuel could help Iran if such sanctions are imposed.

"On the basis of a strategic decision, it was agreed to export 20,000 barrels a day of gasoline from Venezuela to Iran," state TV quoted Chavez as saying at the end of his visit. The fuel shipments will begin in October.

Iran has managed to ride out the limited sanctions so far without serious hardships, although lack of significant foreign investment has left the economy stuck in low gear for years.

The U.S. and some of its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has denied the charges, saying its nuclear program is aimed at only at generating electricity.

Iranian leaders – particularly President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – have repeatedly insisted that Iran would never uranium enrichment, which the U.N. has demanded it halt. The process can produce fuel for a reactor or a warhead.

President Barack Obama and European allies have given Iran until the end of September to agree to talks on its nuclear program. Iran has rejected any deadlines but its top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili said last week that Tehran has prepared to present a package of new proposals and would be ready to open talks "in order to ease common concerns in the international arena."

Chavez said Venezuela will import machinery and technology from Iran in return for its gasoline exports, the TV report said.

The broadcast also quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that the two countries agreed to set up a bank together to help finance joint projects.

Comments

[Ergon]

07:41 PM on 09/08/2009

Iran Syria Operations Group
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Iran-Syria_Operations_Group

No wonder there's so much organized vitriol directed at Iran, as compared to Egypt or Saudi, countries better deserving of our attention.

[wereeverywhere]

09:02 PM on 09/08/2009

Your inability to distinguish a freedom movement form a Conspiracy is shameful. And really, dateline April 2006? Please come up with a more believable lie. Although you cold forward the information to the IRI ministry of love to help guide their prison torture and show trials.

[Ergon]

09:26 PM on 09/08/2009

The same folk now run United 4 a Nuclear Free Iran, but that isn't shameful at all, oh no.

[Ergon]

01:17 PM on 09/09/2009

Your inability to separate a people's legitimate wish for freedom from those who seek to destabilise a country and are no friends of the Iranian people shows that you are a know nothing, and while ignorance isn't a crime, the rest is.
But if you work for the destabilisers, or I, for the 'ministry of love' then THAT would be shameful.

[MARNIE2]

02:17 PM on 09/08/2009

hey I was just wondering , what [ if] their was a disruped condition to the Many [ 20,000] barrels GAS ?
PER-DAY ! BEING SHIPPING OUT ! cause it's the Caribbean & home those bloody pirates !!lol : )

[PWM]

09:40 AM on 09/08/2009

Is it just me but doesn't it seem odd that Iran cannot refine it own oil?

[Tavallai]

02:35 PM on 09/08/2009

So much for reading the article:

[[Despite its vast oil resources, it lacks the refinery capacity to meet its own demand and must buy vast quantities of commercial-ready fuel on the open market.]]

[Ergon]

05:55 PM on 09/08/2009

Due to sanctions. One can no more blame Iran for its relative backwardness than we can blame Cuba. It also has to direct its economy towards military spending, again, because of external threats.

[joabear]

12:07 AM on 09/08/2009

""Hugo Chavez the President of Venezuela is visiting Iran today, September 5, 2009. Chavez is walking on people's blood in order to legitimize the globally acknowledged Hitler-like dictatorship of Islamic Republic of Iran. It appears that Chavez meeting with Ahmadinejad in Tehran is directly related to the upcoming UN conference.

Regardless what the justification is, Chavez's presence in Tehran is an intentional attempt by the head of a foreign government, the first since the 'election' farce, to legitimize IRI. Chavez is intervening people's struggle in their demand of political isolation of the Islamic Republic of Iran on their path to overthrow the IRI.

Please send off the following automated protest message to Hugo Chave. All you need to do is to put your name, email and click Send.

Also if you can make a phone call or send a fax:

Embassy of Venezuela in Tehran, Iran

FAX: [phone]

Phone:
[phone]
[phone]
[phone]""

http://abbasgoya.com/ChavNejad/ChavN995.php?nr=96307816&lang=en

[wereeverywhere]

12:35 AM on 09/08/2009

Thank you Hugo for damaging the hand of reform and revolt in Latin America with your petty Power Politics. Cozying up to a right wing dictator is the last thing we need and your crass opportunism is on display. Rosa Luxemburg said "The revolution is magnificent, and everything else is bilge." You've just embraced bilge and shown you're not serious about your Bolivarian Revolution. Your record on civil liberties is spotty enough and you literally go out of your way to congratulate a state with showtrials, a press crackdown, jailing.and.torturing of dissidents in the midst of an upheaval.

[Ergon]

07:12 AM on 09/10/2009

Calling Hugo Chavez a 'right wing dictator' calls into question your understanding of political affairs or commitment to progressivism. So you want a revolution in Iran, but what form, and why? Would you favor a redistribution of wealth or leave it to the moneyed classes and allow gangster capital to buy up public assets? Would you import a team of specialists from NED to teach you about 'democracy' and NIAC to run the country?
Just asking.

[wereeverywhere]

09:06 AM on 09/10/2009

You misunderstand. It's Hugo, a would be 'revolutionary,' who's in solidarity with Ahmadinejad, a right wing dictator. When leftists and pseudo-revolutionaries think it wise to champion tyrants and reactionary systems and ignore the aspirations of Iranians, it erodes their credibility to put it mildly.

The first step for Iranians is the negation of the system that has them by their throats. I'll be thrilled to see just that for now.

[joabear]

09:47 PM on 09/07/2009

Dear Palestinians:

Fight your own fight, Don't use Iran and Iranians for your cause. The Islamic Republic is not your friend. They are using you. I really have to go now...this site is too slow.

[Billy Hell]

10:08 PM on 09/07/2009

You're sadly delusional joabear.

[raaf]

10:38 PM on 09/07/2009

Don't forget your tinfoil hat!

[joabear]

09:45 PM on 09/07/2009

It is ironic that most of the IRI apologists on this site are Palestinian. I guess those investments are paying off, eh??

[wereeverywhere]

09:52 PM on 09/07/2009

Don't let the noise of the false dichotomy of Palestine/ Iranian muddy the waters. Though I support and recognize each of those peoples as repressed, each cause can stand on their own and in such a limited forum as an internet chat room should stand on their own.

Thank you for your posts and info.

[Ergon]

05:59 PM on 09/08/2009

Well I certainly am not Palestinian, nor am I an 'IRI' apologist, much as some might wish to paint me as such.

[joabear]

09:39 PM on 09/07/2009

ERGON:

Why do you think this is revolution instigated from outside?? Do you think Iranians love to be oppressed , murdered, stoned, raped now for over thirty years? Do you think Iranians are somehow are accustomed to brutality or that they don't have enough intelligence to be responsible for their own destinies and causes?

Unforgivable crimes in Iran - The under reporting of deaths
Huffington Post / Dr Trita Parsi

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/trita-parsi/unforgivable-crimes-in-ir_b_278836.html

[joabear]

09:27 PM on 09/07/2009

Moderators please post the replies. There is nothing offensive. If you want to lose readership continue what you're doing.

[Tavallai]

05:57 AM on 09/08/2009

Maybe if you bothered to stay on topic instead of filling every article's commentary with your anti-Iranian crusade... Just sayin'

[joabear]

09:06 PM on 09/07/2009

To all anti-imperialist fighters and Palestinian sympathizers or whatever:

Leave Iran alone. Fight your own fight. Don't use other people's blood and treasure to prove yourself right. Iranian people are not interested either in liberating Palestinians nor defeating Imperialism.

The Islamic Republic needs Arab mercenaries because it doesn't have the support of its own people.

The Islami Republic does not represent the legitimate will of the Iranian people.

Die for your own causes instead of using other countires populations as canon fodder.

[Ergon]

08:48 PM on 09/07/2009

I'm not Iranian but Iran is my second home and I've lived there long enough and have enough friends to know the divide between rich and poor, and that this color coded 'revolution' is just a ploy by certain oligarchs who would like nothing better than to further loot the Iranian people.
There is a reason why Rafsanjani and Ayatollah Khatami are not only the richest men in Iran, but that their rulership led to massive corruption. That Mousawi is just Rafsanjani's man is well known, and the so called revolution was mostly confined to the middle class in Tehran. Was it a popular revolution? If so, the bazaar would have closed and joined in the protests.
Yes, IRI is repressive and intolerant of minorities. Yes, I hope one day Iran will be rid of its mullahs. But I won't support revolutions instigated from abroad, and that is unrepresentative of the majority of the Iranian people.
And for the record, I have always posted as Ergon, and have not confined myself exclusively to Iranian politics, quite the contrary.

[whosyourdaddy]

08:52 PM on 09/07/2009

What you have to say is of no value to these people. It disagrees with liberal dogma and will therefore be disregarded as noise.

[skialethia]

08:59 PM on 09/07/2009

Wrong again. I totally agree with Ergon and totally disagree with you!

[joabear]

09:08 PM on 09/07/2009

I have responded to you but I guess it take a while for long replies to be posted.

[skialethia]

08:46 PM on 09/07/2009

I have no problem with Iranians filling their tanks with Venezuelan gas and I'm sure they're grateful for all the Venezuelan and other trade they can get!!! Bravo Venezuela, bravo China etc. etc.!

Whosyourdaddy noooooow!

[whosyourdaddy]

08:48 PM on 09/07/2009

You are still avoiding the question, sport.

Why do you embrace those who revile our country.

[skialethia]

08:56 PM on 09/07/2009

Where did I say that? Not my fault your perception is so flawed.

[joabear]

08:58 PM on 09/07/2009

I'm sure you don't. I'm sure you will have no problems if Iranians are bombed to death either because of the IRI's delusions of grandeur...

I wish people like you left Iran alone.

[skialethia]

09:00 PM on 09/07/2009

Watch it...your true colors are starting to show.

[whosyourdaddy]

08:39 PM on 09/07/2009

piul05

"I believe in self-determination."

Indeed? The world watched what Imadinajacket thought of "self determination".

Nice to see he has a friend in you thoughtful people.

[whosyourdaddy]

08:35 PM on 09/07/2009

piul05 I'm a Fan of piul05 I'm a fan of this user 31 fans permalink
photo

I believe in self-determination.

And I'm highly suspicious of the motives that lead to meticulous organized, systematic and publicized criticism of one particular country, on one hand, and total omission when it come to others (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Honduras, Colombia...you name it).

You really don't get my point; I'm not defending Ahmadinejad per se, but I can spot a campaign to soften public opinion for a-not-so-d­istant-in-­the-future meddIing, when I see one.

You might think the US has that right; I don't.

______________________________________________________________

You believe in self determination?

What about the dead in the street who were seeking self determination?

Did they not shout their hatred of the US enough to gain your sympathy and admiration?

Or do you only reserve that for third world dictators?

[whosyourdaddy]

08:25 PM on 09/07/2009

The Iranian here who is commenting has received the same response from liberals that a soldier receives when his or her first hand knowledge conflicts with liberal dogma.... dismissal and insult.

And liberals flatter themselves as possessing some degree of critical thought.

[wereeverywhere]

08:25 PM on 09/07/2009

To those who bring up the Honduran coup:

It's telling that you think we don't have the requisite attention span or principles to take on multiple issues at once. You're only trying at misdirection to have one injustice try to stifle talk of another injustice. It's particularly galling to me since I detest the coup leaders and what they represent. You're only cheapening the crisis in Honduras with such narrow comparisons.

May the democracy movements of Iranians and Hondurans overthrow their illegitimate rulers.

[skialethia]

08:30 PM on 09/07/2009

"May the democracy movements of Iranians "and Hondurans" overthrow their illegitimate rulers."

- You just lost "whosyourdaddy's support with that statement. LOL!