Lebanon’s Hezbollah announced the arrival of a second ship loaded with diesel coming from Iran to Syria’s Baniyas port yesterday evening, the group’s Al-Manar TV said early today.
The Iran-aligned group says the fuel shipments should ease a crippling energy crisis in Lebanon, while Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the Iranian shipments constitute a breach of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Both Syria and Iran are under US sanctions.
On 16 September dozens of trucks carrying Iranian fuel oil entered northeastern Lebanon near the village of Al-Ain.
At the time, Hezbollah said the ship carrying the fuel docked in Syria after being told going to Lebanon could risk sanctions.
Washington has reiterated that US sanctions on Iranian oil sales remain in place. But it has not said whether it is considering taking any action over the move by Hezbollah.
The Lebanese government said its permission was not sought to import the fuel. A security source said the tanker trucks passed through an unofficial border crossing.
Hezbollah said it will donate fuel oil to institutions in need including government hospitals and orphanages and sell it at “an appropriate price” to others including private hospitals, medical storage facilities and flour mills.