Iran airline starts Venezuela flights in boost to ties in face of US sanctions
First flight said to take foreign ministry delegation to South America; US blacklisted airline after accusing it of providing support to Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s second largest airline has begun direct flights to Venezuela, as the two countries cultivate closer ties in the face of US sanctions.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency says Mahan airline’s first flight to Venezuela left Tehran on Monday carrying a Foreign Ministry delegation.
The United States blacklisted Mahan in 2011 after accusing it of providing support to the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The carrier recently halted flights to Germany and France due to US sanctions over its alleged military transport flights to Syria, where Iran supports President Bashar Assad’s forces.
US President Donald Trump restored tough sanctions on Iran after withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement last year, and has increased sanctions on Venezuela to pressure the government to hand over power to the opposition.
The US and about 50 other countries say Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election last year was not legitimate and have recognized the head of the National Assembly as the interim president of Venezuela.
The US imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry in January to cut off the government’s most important source of revenue.
