US media quoted officials as saying that Washington succeeded in persuading Latin governments to prevent Iranian warships from docking at their ports, after two ships were on their way to Venezuela, according to expectations.
US officials told CNN that two Iranian ships had changed direction from the Atlantic Ocean to the west coast of Africa.
The officials added that the two ships' destination was Venezuela, but that they no longer appeared to be moving in the same direction.
For his part, the Politico website quoted a Pentagon official as saying that it is possible that the ships are on their way to sail towards Syria or Russia, after Washington's success in persuading governments in South America to prevent Iranian ships from docking in their ports.
US national security officials have expressed concern about these ships violating US sanctions, and Senator Marco Rubio has called on Washington to block their access to Venezuela.
A week ago, the American Foreign Policy website published an article by analyst Cornell Overfield commenting on the movement of two Iranian warships and a frigate to the Atlantic Ocean on their way to Venezuela, in which he said that Washington could not take any action against these ships, even if they were carrying cargo. It violates US sanctions on Caracas, because it would undermine one of the basic principles of the international system, which is sovereign immunity.