Venezuela gasoline for Iran

By Thomas Lifson

The new axis of evil linking Venezuela and Iran is apparently being activated to bail out the mullahs' regime, which is unable to produce enough gasoline to meet domestic needs. The International Herald Tribune quotes an Iranian newspaper:

Venezuela has agreed to sell gasoline to Iran, the South American county's energy minister said in comments published Tuesday, a week after the Islamic country imposed a fuel rationing program that has sparked violence.

"Yes, Iranians have asked to buy gasoline from us and we have accepted this demand," Rafael Ramirez told the Iranian daily newspaper Shargh. The reformist daily said Ramirez refused to elaborate on the deal.

The critical missing piece is the price for the sale. Iran is rationing gasoline because the cost of providing heavily-subsidized gasoline has become too great. So is Chavez providing the subsidy instead? If so, there will surely be some sort of quid-pro-quo. Would that be weaponry? Promises of access to nuclear weapons?

There are more questions than answers. But it does appear that Iran's foothold in the Western Hemisphere is getting larger.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky