Iran to Retaliate Over Any US 'Trouble' for Venezuela-bound Tankers, Says President Hassan Rouhani

FILE PHOTO: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during a cabinet meeting, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Tehran, Iran, May 6, 2020. Official Presidential website/Handout via REUTERS

A flotilla of five tankers carrying Iranian fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela is approaching the Caribbean, with the first expected to reach the country’s waters on Sunday, according to Refinitiv Eikon tracking data.

Reuters Dubai
Last Updated: May 23, 2020, 5:55 PM IST

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned on Saturday of retaliatory measures against the United States if Washington caused problems for tankers carrying Iranian fuel to Venezuela, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported.

"If our tankers in the Caribbean or anywhere in the world face trouble caused by the Americans, they (the U.S.) will also be in trouble," Rouhani said in a phone conversation with Qatar's Emir, Mehr reported.

A flotilla of five tankers carrying Iranian fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela is approaching the Caribbean, with the first expected to reach the country’s waters on Sunday, according to Refinitiv Eikon tracking data.