US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Tehran aims to manipulate the Strait of Hormuz as an instrument of pressure on the international community.
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He claimed that Iran wants to establish control over a critically important maritime corridor and appealed to other nations to share the responsibility for securing global commercial navigation.
During a press statement before traveling to a meeting in the Philippines, Rubio clarified that US military interventions are limited exclusively to neutralizing Iranian aggressions against cargo ships and diminishing Tehran’s capacity to threaten freedom of navigation.
“It is evident that Iran, or at least some elements within it, intends to dominate the Strait and use it as a tool of coercion against the world,” Rubio said.
He added that while the United States will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure global maritime security, it is time for other countries to begin contributing, whether in the form of equipment or financial resources, to share this burden collectively.
The American diplomat stressed that Washington cannot be the sole guarantor of security for one of the busiest arteries of global maritime trade.
“It is not forever the obligation of the United States to defend the shipping of the entire world,” Rubio declared.
He went on to note that current military operations target only Iranian infrastructure used to launch missiles and drones at commercial vessels in the Strait area.
Rubio described the Strait as an international passage that must remain unrestricted and added that the sole motive for US strikes is the destruction of Iranian capabilities that endanger international commercial shipping.
According to him, US forces have reduced Iran’s ability to strike ships, and many attempted attacks have been thwarted at the initial stage. “You hear about the ships that are hit, but not about those that are protected and the attacks that Iran has been unable to finalize,” he pointed out.
Nevertheless, Rubio reiterated that the White House remains open to dialogue, provided that this diplomatic path is accompanied by a concrete change in the behavior of the regime in Tehran.
“We are always ready for a diplomatic route, but it must be sincere and result in an agreement that they are willing to implement,” he emphasized.
The US Secretary accused Iran of violating previous agreements by continuously attacking ships, instead of guaranteeing the openness of the Strait of Hormuz. “Our stance will change only when theirs does,” he warned, noting that Tehran simultaneously sends signals through direct and indirect channels that it seeks talks, while continuing its offensive with missiles and drones.
Rubio also observed that divisions within the Iranian establishment are deepening between those who aspire to economic relief through diplomacy and the hardline faction that favors military escalation.
“There is a growing divide between those who see the dire state of the economy and others who maintain an extremely belligerent stance and continue to launch missiles,” he added.
The chief US diplomat said he would welcome negotiations if more pragmatic voices in Tehran were strengthened, but simultaneously warned that perpetuating the confrontation would further deepen the country’s economic crisis.
“I do not believe this would be favorable for Iran,” Rubio stated, describing the Iranian economy as devastated, with high inflation, food and fuel shortages, and major internal social problems.
He also accused the Iranian leadership of consuming resources to support entities like Hezbollah, Hamas, and other regional militias at the expense of the well-being of its own people. According to Rubio, even within Iran, including some governmental circles, awareness is growing that the country’s current course is unsustainable.
“If the path of dialogue opens, we will welcome it,” Rubio concluded.
