Secretary of State Marco Rubio faced off with lawmakers over two days of hearings on Capitol Hill.
1. The Rationale for the Iranian Blockade
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The Standby Position: Marco Rubio explains that the sole reason for the U.S. blockade on Iranian ships is Iran's hostile actions—specifically mining international waters in the Strait of Hormuz and firing on commercial vessels.
The Global Stance: Rubio notes that Iran's actions in the straits are entirely illegal and universally opposed, stating that even Russia and China are against what Iran is doing. The blockade remains a direct response to Iran breaking its ceasefire commitment to reopen the straits.
Fragile Negotiations: While Iran has agreed to negotiate aspects of its nuclear program through written communications and intermediaries, Rubio stresses that "talks with Iran are not like talks with Switzerland" and offer no guarantees of a lasting deal.
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