US official threatens to blow up any Iranian missiles in Venezuela

A US official on Monday threatened to blow up any Iranian missiles that reach Venezuela.

“We will make every effort to stop shipments of long-range missiles, and if somehow they get to Venezuela, they will be eliminated there,” an anonymous senior administration official told Fox News.

Elliott Abrams, the State Department special representative for Iran and Venezuela, was quoted by name in the same story, saying, “The transfer of long-range missiles from Iran to Venezuela is not acceptable to the United States and will not be tolerated or permitted.”

Fox News reports there’s no evidence that Iran is shipping missiles to Venezuela, but that the threat was offered to deter a conceivable relationship between the heavily sanctioned US adversaries.

President Trump frequently denounces Venezuela’s socialist strongman Nicolas Maduro, and the US last year recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful leader.

Former White House national security adviser John Bolton quarterbacked the failed effort by Guaido to depose Maduro last year, unsuccessfully urging a military uprising amid soaring crime and inflation.

Trump said in May the US wasn’t involved in an unsuccessful mercenary invasion to topple Maduro.