Sen. Rick Scott: Iranian Warships Not Welcome in Western Hemisphere Waters

May 30, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following reports that two Iranian warships may be headed toward Venezuela, Senator Rick Scott issued the below statement urging President Biden to make clear that any act by Iran to place naval vessels in Western Hemisphere waters will be met with a strong and immediate response by the United States.

Senator Rick Scott said, “For years, I have been warning that Nicolas Maduro’s brutal regime has worked to turn Venezuela into prime real estate for Communist China, Iran and our adversaries to gain a critical foothold in the Western Hemisphere. Now, the U.S. national security community believes that the Iranians, undoubtedly emboldened by the Biden Administration’s weakness and desperate desire to reenter the failed Iran nuclear deal, are making a direct and serious threat to America’s national security.

“President Biden must immediately make clear that America will never tolerate the presence of Iranian warships in Western Hemisphere waters and any such action will be met with a strong and swift response by the U.S. military. It’s time for Biden to take a stand against our adversaries, ditch his dangerously foolish plans to reenter the Iran nuclear deal and demand that these warships turn back or face an unyielding U.S. blockade.”

###