Daijiworld Media Network - New York
New York, Jun 22: US secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned Iran against closing the Strait of Hormuz, calling such a move “economic suicide” and a grave miscalculation. His comments came on Sunday, amid fresh tensions in the Middle East following US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and escalating hostilities between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
Appearing on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Rubio responded to reports that Iran’s parliament had approved a proposal to shut down the crucial maritime passage, which handles roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas shipments. While the Iranian parliament has given the green light, the final call reportedly lies with the Supreme National Security Council.
“If Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, it will be another terrible mistake. It’s economic suicide for them, and we retain options to deal with that,” Rubio said. He also called on China to use its leverage over Tehran, noting that China is among the biggest beneficiaries of oil passing through the strait. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that,” he added.
Iranian lawmaker and IRGC commander Esmail Kosari confirmed that closing the strait “is on the agenda” and would be executed “whenever necessary.” The threat, coupled with recent US strikes, has raised fears of broader regional escalation and economic fallout.
Rubio also spoke about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, stating that the US remains open to dialogue. “The Iranian regime should wake up and say, ‘OK, if we really want nuclear energy, there’s a way to do it.’ That offer’s still there,” he said.
Reiterating Washington’s long-standing stance, he clarified that the US is willing to support Iran’s civilian nuclear programme as long as it refrains from enriching uranium domestically. “There are many countries with nuclear reactors that don’t enrich uranium. Iran can be one of them,” he concluded.
The warning comes at a time when global energy markets are already jittery. Analysts say any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could spike oil prices and plunge the region into deeper instability.