U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Strait of Hormuz must be kept open "one way or the other" following recent U.S. strikes on Iran.
The warning comes as U.S. concerns mount over potential disruptions to global oil flows if Iran maintains a blockade of the strategic waterway. Because negotiations could take several days, the administration is preparing for a scenario where diplomatic efforts fail to reopen the lane.
Speaking on a plane over Jaipur, India, on Tuesday, May 26 [1], Rubio said the passage is a necessity. "The straits have to be open, they're going to be open one way or the other, so they need to be open," Rubio said [1].
This stance follows earlier comments made by the secretary during a NATO foreign-ministers meeting in Sweden on May 22 [2]. During that appearance, Rubio said the United States and its allies cannot rely solely on diplomacy. "We need a 'Plan B' if Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz closed, someone's going to have to do something about it," Rubio said [2].
The secretary said that while the U.S. prefers a negotiated settlement, the risk of a prolonged closure is too high to ignore. "We all would love to see an agreement with Iran, but we must be prepared for the Strait to stay closed," Rubio said [3].
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical chokepoints for energy transport. Any sustained closure would likely lead to significant volatility in global energy markets, and potential economic instability. The call for a "Plan B" suggests the U.S. is weighing military or multilateral options to forcibly ensure the transit of commercial vessels if Iranian restrictions persist.
“"The straits have to be open, they're going to be open one way or the other."”
The U.S. is signaling that it views the free flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz as a non-negotiable security interest. By publicly discussing a 'Plan B' and stating the strait will open 'one way or the other,' the administration is using deterrence to warn Iran that the U.S. is prepared to use force to prevent a global energy crisis.
