The Strait of Hormuz will be opened “one way or another,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday, before emphasizing Washington’s commitment to achieving its war objectives within weeks.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rubio said the U.S. remains focused on its military goals and does not expect the conflict to drag on indefinitely.
Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio rejected Tehran’s demand that it maintain sovereignty over the strategic waterway as part of any agreement to end the war.
“The Strait of Hormuz will be open when this operation is over … one way or another,” Rubio said.
“It will be open because Iran agrees to abide by international law and not block the commercial waterway, or a coalition of nations around the world and the region, with the participation of the United States, will make sure that it’s open.”
He warned there would be “real consequences” if Iran continues to block the strait after the fighting ends.
Rubio also clarified there have been indirect communications between the U.S. and Iran during the conflict.
Rubio said President Donald Trump “always prefers diplomacy, always prefers an outcome … and we could have done this before.”
“We would always welcome a scenario in which Iran was led by people that had a different view of the future and had a different view,” he said. “And if that opportunity presents itself, we’re going to take it,” he said.
Rubio also told Al Jazeera that the administration does not expect the war to last months, pointing to progress already made.
“We have very clear objectives that we’re trying to achieve here. Those objectives are the destruction of their air force, which has been achieved; the destruction of their navy, which has largely been achieved; [and] a significant reduction in the number of missile launchers that they have, which we’re well on our way to achieving.”
“And we are going to destroy the factories that make those missiles and those drones that they are using to attack their neighbors and the United States and our presence in the region,” he said.
“And that’s something that’s not going to take months. I’m not going to tell you exactly how many weeks, but a matter of weeks, not months,” Rubio said.
