Rubio tells Al Jazeera Strait of Hormuz will reopen ‘one way or another’ 

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Al Jazeera that the Strait of Hormuz will “reopen one way or another” amid the war with Iran.

The exclusive interview on Monday came as speculation has grown over a possible US troop deployment in Iran.

That would represent a new phase in the grinding conflict, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, even as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly maintained that the US was pursuing diplomacy with Iran.

Rubio again maintained there were “ongoing direct talks between parties in Iran and the United States, primarily conducted through intermediaries”.

He added that Trump “has always preferred diplomacy and seeks to reach a resolution—something that could have been achieved earlier”.

He further called on Iran to take “concrete steps” to end its nuclear programme and stop “manufacturing drones and missiles”.

“It must also cease sponsoring terrorism and halt the production of weapons that threaten its neighbours,” he said. “The short-range missiles launched by Iran serve only one purpose: to attack Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.”

Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed to open traffic, roiling international oil markets, Rubio voiced optimism it would be reopened.

“The Strait of Hormuz will reopen one way or another once our military operation in Iran is over,” he said.

“The strait will reopen either with Iran’s consent or through an international coalition including the US,” he said.

More to come…