“Iran’s Khamenei suggests US moves on Venezuela aim at oil, land grab,” Iran International, 12-11-25. The Ayatollah’s proposition—that the U.S. is out to steal Venezuela’s resources and land, is easily testable. Intrepid reporters and observers can simply watch what happens. My money’s on the U.S.—they don’t have a history of taking in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc., etc.
This story is a reminder that when you read about the U.S. v. Venezuela, you are actually reading U.S. v. Iran. “Tanker Seized By US Off Venezuela Was Part Of Iranian Shadow Fleet,” RFE/RL, 12-11-25.
Probably in hiding in Lebanon with Hezbollah, facilitated by Iran. “The Hunt for Assad’s Brutal Enforcer,” WSJ, 12-11-25.
“It is rare but not unprecedented for the U.S. to seize a ship in international waters. The Trump administration in 2020 seized four vessels allegedly loaded with Iranian fuel in violation of sanctions. A federal judge approved a warrant for at least one of those seizures, saying Justice Department prosecutors had provided enough evidence that the tanker and its fuel were assets of a designated terrorist organization. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that the tanker, the Skipper, had been sanctioned for carrying Iranian oil in the past and would be taken to a U.S. port. She said U.S. forces executed a warrant for the Skipper, and that investigators were interviewing its crew.” See “Seizure of Venezuelan Oil Strikes at the Heart of Maduro’s Grip on Power,” WSJ, 12-11-25.