Photo courtesy of Anadolu
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Iran of trying to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Speaking before traveling to the Philippines for a meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations foreign ministers, Rubio said some officials in Tehran appeared determined to strengthen their hold over the strategic waterway.
He said the United States would continue taking steps to protect commercial shipping and preserve the flow of international maritime trade.
Rubio, however, urged other governments to shoulder a greater share of the responsibility by contributing military equipment, funding or other resources.
He also said Washington remained open to a diplomatic settlement with Iran, but warned that Tehran would face unfavorable consequences if negotiations failed.
According to Rubio, Iranian officials had been sending indications that they were interested in opening talks with the United States.
On the death of a US soldier in Iraq on Saturday, Rubio said the incident occurred during the controlled destruction of unexploded ordnance recovered from a downed Iranian drone.
He added that one Iranian missile had penetrated Jordan’s air defenses on Friday, while US forces later struck Iran in response to missile and drone attacks directed at commercial vessels.