The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, remarked that “as we look at the newly energised ties between Iran and Venezuela in our hemisphere, we're very concerned about it… We are determined that this relationship does not become a new form of instability in our hemisphere”. Hook further indicated that “I think the maritime community knows that if you get a phone call to move fuel to Venezuela, that's an offer that you should not accept… We’re going to continue to sanction any sanctionable activity. We have really dried up the maritime community that's available to Iran to move this stuff. We de-flagged all of Iran’s tankers”. “They have the goal, obviously, of getting the fuel to Maduro and then getting paid for it, but that's an increasingly big challenge they face”, he added.