U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that American officials are not bothered by Iranian public figures' 'extreme rhetoric' — rather, they care about whether Iranian vessels actually transit the Strait of Hormuz. 'If the rhetoric is backed up and ships do not pass, then we have a problem with that,' Rubio warned, according to Israeli media.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed Iranian officials' 'extreme rhetoric' as irrelevant to the United States, telling reporters that the key test is whether Iranian vessels actually challenge navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. 'If the rhetoric is backed up and ships do not pass, then we have a problem with that,' Rubio said, according to a report on N12 Thursday afternoon.
The remark sharpens the Trump administration's red line on freedom of navigation in the Gulf, which has been a recurring theme in US-Iran tensions. Earlier this week, The Zioneer reported Rubio stating that hostilities cannot end as long as Iran's proxies launch missiles and drones from Iraq and engage in terrorism. The US has recently authorized new strikes against Iranian-linked targets after a drone incident near an American Apache helicopter crew, but has publicly maintained that diplomacy remains open.
Rubio's formulation separates Iranian provocative talk from actual action — suggesting the administration is prepared to tolerate hostile rhetoric as long as Iran does not translate it into operational steps that disrupt shipping. The distinction may reflect an effort to keep diplomatic channels open while maintaining a credible military deterrent. No immediate Iranian response was reported.
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