Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sharply condemned Iran’s military actions against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, comparing Tehran’s methods to German submarine campaigns from the Second World War.
In a media interview, Rubio asserted that the Iranian regime is utilizing what he described as “Nazi U-boat tactics” by deliberately targeting civilian vessels and their crews. He argued that the international community should rally around the issue and condemn the attacks, drawing a parallel to historical efforts to disrupt vital supply routes.
Despite the ongoing threat, Rubio noted that American defensive operations have allowed commercial traffic and energy flow through the strategic waterway to recover to between 80 and 100 percent of prewar levels. U.S. forces routinely intercept the vast majority of incoming missiles and drones launched by Iran.
However, Rubio acknowledged that defensive screens are not impenetrable. While most damaged ships continue their journeys, occasional strikes penetrate U.S. defenses, hitting engine rooms and resulting in fatalities among sailors, including Indian nationals. These dangers were recently highlighted by an attack on the container ship GFS Pride, which caught fire and sank while under tow.
Diplomatic efforts face severe obstacles, according to Rubio, who expressed deep skepticism regarding Tehran’s willingness to negotiate. He attributed the difficulty to the ideological nature of the country’s leadership, stating that negotiations are particularly challenging because the government is controlled by radical Shia clerics driven by theological convictions.
Washington continues to maintain its naval protection while enforcing an economic blockade aimed at cutting off Iranian oil revenues. Rubio stated that the administration intends to maintain extraordinary economic pressure, accusing Tehran of diverting national resources away from the domestic population to fund terrorism, weapons development, and regional proxies.
The diplomatic impasse deepened as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the waterway would remain formally closed unless Washington accepted Tehran’s conditions. Meanwhile, senior Iranian officials have reportedly indicated that Tehran is deliberately drawing out negotiations to deny a political victory ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. While declining to predict an imminent military escalation or rule out future diplomacy, Rubio maintained that the administration’s dual strategy of military protection and economic pressure will continue.
