US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 30 called on countries to deny overflight rights to Mahan Air, an Iranian airline under US sanctions. He said Mahan Air recently delivered cargoes of “unknown support” to the Venezuelan government.

Like Iran, Venezuela has been hit with tough sanctions by the US, with Washington attempting to force socialist President Nicolas Maduro from power.

Speaking at a State Department news conference, Pompeo, according to Reuters, said Mahan Air, Iran’s largest airline, delivered supplies to Maduro’s government.

“Over the last few days, multiple aircraft belonging to Mahan Air have transferred unknown support to the Maduro regime,” Pompeo said. “This is the same terrorist airline that Iran used to move weapons and fighters around the Middle East.”

The flights “must stop,” Pompeo continued, adding that countries should deny Mahan Air overflight rights “just as many have already denied landing rights to this sanctioned airline.”

Last week, a Venezuelan official said Venezuela received materials via Iranian aircraft to help it start the catalytic cracking unit at its Cardon refinery. The unit is required in the production of gasoline.

Both Iran and Venezuela are oil-producing countries.

Washington in December and January sanctioned Mahan Air, claiming it had roles in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and transporting arms and fighters to Syria as part of Iran’s backing of Damascus in that country’s civil war.

Those sanctions expanded on 2011 counterterrorism sanctions imposed on Mahan Air over its support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Quds Force of which runs Iran-backed operations in Syria, Iraq and other countries in the Middle East riven by conflict.