Lebanon, Al Ain (AP) — A tank truck convoy carrying Iranian diesel crossed the border from Syria to Lebanon early Thursday. This is a delivery organized by the radical Hezbollah group to alleviate a serious fuel shortage in a crisis-stricken country.

The delivery violates US sanctions imposed on Tehran after former President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a nuclear deal between Iran and world powers three years ago.

It was portrayed as a victory by Hezbollah, who intervened to supply fuel from his backer, Iran, while the underfunded government was tackling fuel shortages for several months.

The first Iranian oil tanker arrived at the port of Baniyas in Syria on Sunday, and diesel was unloaded at a storage site in Syria and later transported by land to Lebanon. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrara said in a speech earlier this week that tankers did not unload Lebanon directly to avoid embarrassing Lebanese authorities and risking sanctions against Lebanon. Stated.

There were no immediate comments from Lebanese or US officials on Iran’s fuel supply on Thursday.

Hezbollah’s Almanar TV calls it a “tank truck convoy to break the siege of the United States,” with 20 tank trucks each carrying 50,000 liters (13,210 gallons) crossing the border on Thursday, and Hezbollah’s eastern city of Baalbek. He added that he was on his way to. Start distributing fuel.

Lebanon is on the verge of a catastrophic economic crisis. A serious shortage of fuel has paralyzed the country and led to catastrophic power outages that disrupted hospital and bakery work. People have to wait hours in a line, commonly referred to as a “humiliation line,” just to get gasoline.

The tank truck traveled from Homs, central Syria to the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, and was welcomed by residents who gathered alongside the main road. Hezbollah’s yellow flags and flags adorned the streets in honor of Iran-backed groups and Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Iran’s diesel oil arrives almost a week after the formation of a new government that ends the 13-month deadlock. Lebanon’s new Prime Minister Najib Mikati has not commented on a contract to import fuel from Iran.

Earlier this week, Nasrara said diesel would be donated to public hospitals, nursing homes, orphanages, water stations, the Lebanese Red Cross and other facilities for a month. Nasrallah added that others who get fuel at low prices are private hospitals, drug and serum factories, bakeries, and co-operatives that sell food.

Nasrallah said three other tankers carrying diesel and one carrying gasoline will arrive in the coming weeks.