“Tehran is not taking negotiations seriously” – Rubio
The tension in the Strait of Hormuz has heightened concerns in the energy market.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington remains ready to resolve the crisis with Iran through diplomatic negotiations, but Tehran is not yet approaching this seriously, as reported. He made this statement during the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in the Philippine capital, Manila.
Rubio said that the US has always prioritized diplomacy, but it is observed that Iran is attempting to prolong negotiations and is not taking practical steps. In his view, for negotiations to be successful, both sides must be equally interested.
The Secretary of State also emphasized that Iran's plans to establish control over the Strait of Hormuz and collect fees from international ships would create an "extremely dangerous precedent." According to him, if such practices are allowed, other countries might also make similar claims over international sea routes, posing a serious threat to global trade and energy security.
Due to the military tensions between the US and Iran, oil transportation through the Red Sea has once again been disrupted, and several Saudi oil tankers have changed their routes for security reasons. This has heightened new concerns in global energy markets.
