Tehran 0
17 May 2020

After a U.S. official indicated that Washington was “looking at measures that can be taken” in response to Iranian tankers en route to Venezuela, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, in a letter to the UN Secretary-General, “warned the U.S. about sending troops to the Caribbean Sea with the aim of interfering with the transfer of Iran’s fuel to Venezuela”. Zarif also “underlined Iran’s right to adopt appropriate and necessary measures to counter these threats”. The Iranian foreign ministry also summoned the Swiss ambassador in Tehran, whose country represents U.S. interests, and requested he “relay to Washington’s officials Iran’s serious warning over any possible threat by the U.S. against Iranian tankers”. According to the foreign ministry, a senior Iranian diplomat told the ambassador that “any threat against Iranian tankers will be met with Iran’s immediate and firm response, and the U.S. government will be responsible for its consequences”.

Subscribe to Crisis Group’s Email Updates

Receive the best source of conflict analysis right in your inbox.