Esra Tekin
20 July 2026•Update: 20 July 2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that Iran is attempting to use the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining tool amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, urging other nations to play a greater role in safeguarding international shipping routes.
“It’s clear that Iran, at least some people in Iran, want to control the strait and hold that as leverage against the world,” Rubio told reporters before departing for the Philippines to attend a meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers.
He said some figures within Iran appear intent on using control of the strategic waterway as leverage over the international community.
He added that while the US will continue taking the necessary steps to ensure the security of global maritime trade, other countries should contribute more by providing financial support or military resources to help share the responsibility.
"The United States will do and continue to do what it needs to protect global shipping, but other countries need to begin to step up and provide, whether it’s hardware or finances, to help carry that burden," he added.
Washington is open to reaching a diplomatic solution with Iran, he said, adding that if diplomacy fails, the situation will not be in Tehran's favor.
He claimed that Iranians are sending signals of their desire to talk with the US.
On the death of a US soldier Saturday in Iraq, Rubio said it was an accident during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone.
A single Iranian missile penetrated Jordan's air defenses Friday despite the interception of most incoming missiles, he said, adding that US forces struck Iran in response to its launch of missiles and drones targeting commercial ships.
