MSNBC – 4/21/2015- Amid reports that Iranian ships may be in transit to provide arms to Shiite rebels in Yemen, risking a confrontation with U.S. warships, President Obama has delivered a blunt warning.
“Right now their ships are in international waters,” Obama said Tuesday in an interview with MSNBC’S Chris Matthews, which aired in full on “Hardball.” “There’s a reason why we keep some of our ships in the Persian Gulf region and that is to make sure we maintain freedom of navigation. And what we’ve said to them is if there are weapons delivered to factions within Yemen that could threaten navigation, that’s a problem.”
The president said Iranian involvement would only complicate efforts to find a solution to the Yemen conflict, in which Shiite rebels known as Houthis and government-backed fighters have been battling for months over control of the country. A U.S. aircraft carrier was sent Monday to the waters off Yemen to help prevent any shipment of arms by Iran.
Obama’s warnings come as U.S. and Iranian negotiators continue to hammer out the details of a potential agreement that could lift sanctions on Iran and rein in its nuclear program. The agreement’s framework was announced earlier this month, but some details remain to be worked out.