WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday that allowing Iran to hold hostage the Strait of Hormuz would “set a dangerous precedent” for international shipping in other regions — pledging the US will continue protecting global shipping and degrading Tehran’s ability to threaten maritime traffic.
“If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don’t pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region,” Rubio said Wednesday at the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Manila.
Asia is home to many critical waterways — such as the Strait of Malacca and the Taiwan Strait — that currently operate toll-free.
Rubio said Iran’s refusal to honor its commitment to reopen the Strait of Hormuz means Tehran “doesn’t seem to be serious” about diplomacy.
“We remain open to diplomacy. We remain open to working it out in a negotiated way,” Rubio told reporters. “But right now they don’t seem to be serious about that.”
Tehran had agreed to restore “free and fair navigation” through the Strait of Hormuz and was expected to issue a public statement reaffirming that commitment about a week and a half ago, Rubio said.
“On the day they were supposed to put out that statement, instead of doing that, they targeted and blew up or hit a ship,” he said.
The secretary of state argued that Iran’s actions effectively voided the existing agreement.
“All these things are compliance based,” Rubio said. “If you make a deal, if you sign onto an agreement, and then you violate the agreement, the agreement’s no longer valid.”
Rubio’s comments come as the Trump administration continues its campaign against Iranian threats in the Persian Gulf, pledging military pressure will continue unless Tehran returns to compliance with its commitments.
The secretary said that while a future deal remains possible, it would depend entirely on whether Tehran follows through on its commitments.
Rubio said the US will continue escorting and defending commercial shipping in the region regardless of whether allies contribute, though he urged other countries to do more.
“We’re going to continue to protect shipping,” Rubio said. “We think other countries should join us in that endeavor. We don’t need them to, but they should because they’re more impacted by it than we are.”
The United Kingdom, France and other European countries have pledged to help de-mine the strait — but only after the conflict ends.
Rubio also pledged to continue military operations targeting Iran’s ability to threaten international commerce — suggesting the US may begin its 12th day of consecutive strikes on Iran on Wednesday.
“We are going to, when the opportunity presents itself, degrade their ability to target global shipping,” Rubio said.
