US concerned Iranian ships may carry arms to Yemen

MOFFETT FIELD, California – The United States is concerned a group of Iranian cargo ships may be carrying advanced weapons to Yemen, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday, as he called on Iran to avoid “fanning the flames” of the conflict with arms deliveries.

 

Asked whether he thought weapons were on board the Iranian ships, Carter said: “We’re certainly concerned about that.”

 

“And there’s no reason for anybody to be delivering advanced weapons into a situation that’s already gotten way beyond what is reasonable there,” he told a small group of reporters, shortly before landing in California. He did not elaborate.

 

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama said the United States had warned Iran not to send weapons to Yemen that could be used to threaten shipping traffic in the Gulf.

 

Washington this week deployed additional warships off Yemen’s coast, partly in response to the convoy of Iranian cargo ships in the Arabian sea.

 

Carter acknowledged that the movement of the US warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, gave Obama “options.” But he declined to say whether the United States might attempt to board the Iranian cargo ships, if needed.

 

Read More: US concerned Iranian ships may carry arms to Yemen – Middle East – Jerusalem Post