US tracking Iranian ships that may be headed into the Atlantic and for Venezuela

The Pentagon and US intelligence agencies are closely tracking two Iranian ships that Tehran claims are bound for Venezuela.

At the Pentagon and other agencies, officials said that at the moment the ships' passage is not a concern, but they are being monitored and the intelligence community is working to assess what Iran's intentions are. The two countries -- both the subject of harsh US sanctions -- are allies and trading partners that have helped each other withstand the American measures. While it is still unclear if the ships are carrying any weapons, according to multiple US officials, satellite imagery reveals one of them is carrying the kind of small, fast-attack boats that Iran has used to harass US naval ships in the Persian Gulf. And if Iranian vessels gain the ability to access the Atlantic, analysts say it would be a significant step forward for the country's navy, which has tried and failed to do so in the past.