On this week’s “Sunday Morning Futures” on Fox News, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a sharp warning about Iran’s potential to disrupt global oil flows by closing the vital Strait of Hormuz. Rubio emphasized that such a move would mark a “massive escalation” and compel a coordinated international response.
Host Maria Bartiromo asked, “Do you expect Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz to disrupt oil transportation?”
Rubio responded by urging major world powers to intervene. “Well, I would encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call about that, because they heavily depend on the Straits of Hormuz for their oil,” he said. Rubio stressed that blocking the strait would be “economic suicide” for Iran and harm other nations’ economies even more severely. “It would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours,” he added. He warned that such an aggressive act would merit a response “not just by us, but from others.”
He noted that Iranian rhetorical posturing is likely motivated by internal political needs. “They’re going to say what they need to say,” Rubio observed. Despite the hostility, the U.S. remains poised to respond based on actions, not words. “In the end, we’re going to judge them by the actions that they take moving forward.”
Rubio also framed the recent U.S. strike against Iran’s nuclear sites as a mission that achieved its objectives decisively. “We had three objectives. We struck those three objectives with decisive force, and that was the point of this mission. And that’s what we achieved,” he explained. Rubio stressed that the next phase hinges on Iran’s choices: “What happens next will depend on what they do.” He offered an olive branch: “They want to negotiate. We’re ready to negotiate. They want to get out and do things that are dangerous. We have responses available that are devastating.”
Rubio’s comments underscore the U.S. commitment to defending global trade routes and maintaining diplomatic flexibility while preparing for high-stakes geopolitical confrontations.
