Trump Seizes Seventh Venezuela-linked Oil Tanker

Some 11 ships have been directly linked to Iran's oil trade, including the ‘Skipper’ and ‘Star Twinkle 6,’ alongside nine others tied to Russian and Venezuelan operations, according to United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which has spent more than 12 years tracking these elusive vessels. The stakes could not be higher. The Skipper’s revenues reportedly fund terrorist activity by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah, prop up hostile regimes and provide cut–price oil to China. Jemima Shelley, Senior Research Analyst at UANI, has warned that this reality could lure Trump into a dangerous provocation with Iran, pointing to the strong ideological alliance forged between Maduro and the Ayatollah. ‘Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism and its illicit oil sales are the main source of funding for its global terrorist activities,’ Shelley told the Daily Mail.