‘US seizure of Venezuelan president’s plane contradicts international law’
TEHRAN. - Iran has condemned the United States' seizure of a plane belonging to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over alleged sanctions violations, saying the “unacceptable” move contradicts international law.
The US Justice Department early this week said that the country has seized a plane used by the Venezuelan president and flown it from the Dominican Republic to Florida.
It claimed that the plane, identified as a Dassault Falcon 900EX, had been purchased in violation of US sanctions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mr Nasser Kan'ani yesterday said that the unilateral coercive move by the US is in violation of international law and will foment chaos and promote hijacking.
The US move also poses a threat to international aviation security and safety, he added.
He reiterated the need to respect international regulations, saying Iran regards the recent US “unacceptable” move as a contravention of rules and norms of international law, particularly the immunity of the countries' properties and the Convention on International Civil Aviation (also known as Chicago Convention).
The Iranian spokesman voiced Tehran's support for Venezuelan government's measures to protect its public property.
Mr Kan'ani also stressed the importance of improving cooperation among countries to confront the US sanctions and unilateral coercive measures.
Mr Maduro became president following the death of his mentor Hugo Chavez in 2013.
He was re-elected in 2018 despite the US-orchestrated opposition.
Since November 2019, the US-led sanctions have pushed inflation in Venezuela to above 4,000 percent.
Iran and Venezuela, both subject to illegal US sanctions, signed a 20-year cooperation deal in June 2022 during a state visit by President Maduro to Tehran. The document covered the energy sector, among other areas of cooperation. —PressTV.com