Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned this Monday that Iran threatens to establish a permanent system in the Strait of Hormuz to determine who can transit through those international waters, and he was emphatic: This will never be allowed to happen.
The statements come amidst the armed conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran, which began on February 28, 2026 with "Operation Epic Fury," which destroyed Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Rubio emphasized that the Iranian threat does not primarily affect the United States, but rather the rest of the world: we obtain very little energy in this country through the Strait of Hormuz. The rest of the world receives much more.
The Secretary of State made a direct appeal to the international community to take note of the situation, pointing out that Europe and Asia have more at stake than Washington in this matter.
Iran declared "complete control" over the strait on March 4, 2026 and formalized the blockade on March 19 with mines, drones, and missiles, leaving more than 2,000 ships and 20,000 sailors stranded and collapsing naval traffic by 97%.
The price of a Brent barrel exceeded 126 dollars after the blockade, compared to the 67 dollars recorded before the conflict, on a route that under normal conditions channels between 20% and 33% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
Last Thursday, during a G7 meeting in Paris, Rubio had already deemed the Iranian threat to impose a control system over maritime passage as "unacceptable" and "illegal," adding: "We are not asking anyone to join the war, but the most affected countries need to be ready to take action."
On March 25, Iran rejected a U.S. proposal of 15 points, demanding among its conditions the recognition of sovereignty over the strait, while 22 countries called for the immediate reopening of the maritime route on March 21, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan.
This Monday, President Donald Trump issued a stern warning on his social network, threatening to destroy power plants, oil wells, the island of Kharg, and possibly Iranian desalination plants if an agreement is not reached and the strait is not reopened before April 6, 2026.
Trump stated that he is simultaneously in "serious conversations with a new and more reasonable Iranian regime" and reported "great progress" in the negotiations, leaving open the possibility of a diplomatic exit before the deadline expires.
Filed under: