Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Kevin McCarthy ousted as leader of US House by his Republican party
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The ousting decision requires a simple majority in the House of Representatives of 214 votes
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: US House of Representatives begins voting on decision to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy
Tunisian Free Constitutional Party: Party chief Abir Moussi was arrested and taken to an unknown destination
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An air strike, likely Turkish, targets the Qandil Mountains in Iraqi Kurdistan for the second time
No surprise that Huawei will look to continue production of semiconductors: White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby
White House warns "time is not our friend" on Ukraine aid
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Hamas leader Abdul Jabbar Jarrar was released from Jenin after two years of administrative detention in the occupation prisons.
The Public Prosecution in the Iranian Kerman Province: Arrest of a terrorist cell affiliated with ISIS that planned to carry out operations and destabilize security in Kerman.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian: We are determined to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia within our vision regarding the interests of the Islamic world and aim to deter our enemies and stop the path of normalization.

Exclusive: FBI behind seizure of Venezuelan plane in Argentina

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Al Mayadeen Espanol
  • 28 Aug 2022 13:37
  • 8 Shares
  • x

The incident gets so little media attention despite the fact that Argentinian authorities detained 19 crew members at a Buenos Aires airport at the behest of Washington.

  • Exclusive: FBI accountable for detention of Venezuelan crew
    Exclusive: FBI accountable for detention of Venezuelan crew

More than twelve weeks after Boeing 747-300M cargo was seized in Argentina on US orders, Al Mayadeen Espanol interviewed two of its detained crew members, in addition to the director of the Empresa de Transporte Aéreocargo del Sur, S.A. (EMTRASUR), a Venezuelan cargo airline and subsidiary of Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos, S.A (CONVIASA), a Venezuelan state-owned company.

The incident got so little media attention despite the fact that Argentinian authorities detained 19 crew members at a Buenos Aires airport since it arrived on June 8, simply carrying a shipment of auto parts.

A flashback

A Boeing 747-300M cargo was detained in Argentina in June. At the time, the Argentinian Security Minister said that a Boeing 747 “owned by Mahan Airlines” and leased to Venezuela was detained and its five Iranian crew members had their passports confiscated.

The airplane was transporting automobile parts, and no contraband or suspicious cargo was found during the search.

Two months later, Washington asked Argentina to seize the Venezuelan cargo plane that has been parked since June on its soil and is linked to the US sanctions against Iran.

The case file stated that the plane was under the control of Venezuela's Emtrasur, which allowed "the re-export of the aircraft between Caracas, Venezuela, Tehran, Iran, and Moscow, Russia, without the permission of the US government."

On that note, Iran's Mahan Airlines refuted news being reported on the seizing of one of its planes in Argentina, stressing that the airplane in question is owned by Venezuela.

IRNA news agency reported, quoting Mahan's public relations bureau that the aircraft that was seized in Venezuela had nothing to do with Mahan Airlines.

It is worth noting that the Boeing 747 was sold to Emtrasur, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan company Conviasa, by an Iranian company, Mahan Air, in October 2021. The two countries have signed a 20-year cooperation plan as a way to overcome the sanctions imposed against them by the US.

Both the previous Iranian owner of the Boeing 747 as well as the Venezuelan owner of the plane have been sanctioned by the US for different reasons. The US Department of Justice used this pretext to justify its request from Argentina to confiscate the plane.

On his account, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pushed for the return of the Boeing 747-300M transport aircraft detained in Argentina.

"Now they intend to steal our plane, as they stole our gold in London, as they stole from us [oil refinery in the United States] Citgo, steal a plane belonging to Venezuela ... We declare our protest that the Venezuelan plane be returned to us," Maduro said on the VTV channel.

Related News

Washington praises Saudi-Boeing 787 deal

Argentina: Charges dismissed against Venezuelan plane crew members

“FBI to account for the detention of the flight crew”

In an exclusive interview for Al Mayadeen Espanol, Mario Araga, one of the detained crew members, appeared to express his shock after discovering that the FBI is accountable for his detention, wondering if Argentina lacks its proper governmental investigative body.

Araga went on to say, “I know it exists and is operational but is there not a device that responds to the questions and inquiries that we have?"

“We are supposed to present about 132 Testimonial and Documentary evidence, “he added.

He described what is happening as a display of mad tactics to desperately seeking a thread of accusation against any one of the detainees even if they don’t find any.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing”, he tersely stated, reassuring that there is no evidence against the plane's crew members. 

He recalled that at one point they were informed that the United States was on the front lines and behind what was going on with them.

“Today there is an order issued by the court of a federal judge in Florida ordering the confiscation, that is, the seizure, of our plane... However, the Public Prosecutor approved the Florida court's decision... As a result, the plane is now in the hands of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America," he concluded.

Inch closer to a return home

Mohammad Khosravi Aragh, an Iranian mechanical engineer and crew member, confidently assured that "all legal stages will be carried out in the best way possible so that we and our Venezuelan colleagues can return to our country."

“We are doing well. We are ok. Thank you very much for your interest in our cause,” he cheerfully concluded.

Friends in detention

Despite this horrendous ordeal, the Venezuelan crew members built a good and brotherly relationship with the Iranian crew members, most notably with plane Captain Gholam Reza Qasmi, the director of the Empresa de Transporte Aéreocargo Del Sur, S.A. (EMTRASUR) divulged to Al Mayadeen Espanol.

"Our experience working with the Iranian crew members has been pleasing, and for me, Captain Qasmi is an amazing man, with a great personality,” he said.

“Captain Qasmi is a peaceful person, and yet further lies are woven about him," he added.

Ruled by US orders 

The last time another country acted on US orders to seize Iranian cargo was when Greece seized an oil tanker sailing under an Iranian flag on May 26, even though Iran is not under EU sanctions.

The crew was kept on board and Iranian diplomats were prevented from visiting the ship until  Iran's ambassador to Athens was allowed to check on the crew. This was only after Iran retaliated against the theft of its cargo, by the seizure of two Greek tankers in the Gulf.

The ordeal ended on June 14, two days after the Venezuelan cargo was detained in Argentina when the Athenian authorities released the Iranian oil tanker detained by Greek court order.

At the time, The Greek court ordered the return of the detained oil tanker and its cargo to the owner, and Athens carried out the order, the PMO added.

  • Boeing 747
  • EMTRASUR
  • US
  • Venezuela
  • Argentina
  • Iran

Most Read

BBC from the front lines in Ukraine: It's bad, counteroffensive failed

BBC from the front lines in Ukraine: It's bad, counteroffensive failed

  • Europe
  • 28 Sep 2023
A Ukrainian soldier of the elite drone unit packs up after an attack on the front line in the outskirts of Kremennaya, Ukraine, Sunday, August 20, 2023 (AP)

Ukraine loses around 700 soldiers in one day: Russia MoD

  • Europe
  • 30 Sep 2023
Who Would Ally with the West: ‘It’s Boring – The Real Excitement is in Asia’

Who Would Ally with the West: ‘It’s Boring – The Real Excitement is in Asia’

  • Analysis
  • 30 Sep 2023
A child being treated in a makeshift ICU bed in California in 2023 (AFP via Getty Images)

Children are dying in US hospitals plagued with ill-prepared ERs: WSJ

  • US & Canada
  • 2 Oct 2023

Coverage

All
Morocco & Libya Disasters

Read Next

All
People protest in Swedia, Syria on September 15, 2023. (AFP)
MENA

"Israel" proposes arming Sweida protesters via Jordan: Reports

Indigenous Xikrin warriors in the Para State of the Brazilian Amazon in August 2019 (AP)
Latin America

Brazil expels illegal settlers from Indigenous lands in Para state

Black Hawk Down: America's history in ending organic truces in Somalia
Africa

Black Hawk Down: America's history in reviving wars in Somalia

UN approves Haiti force after year of pleas
Latin America

UN approves Haiti Kenyan-led force amid Chinese skepticism

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS