① US Secretary of State Rubio accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz as an "economic nuclear weapon" and emphasized that the United States would not accept reopening this vital energy channel under conditions set by Iran; ② Rubio believed that Iran’s actual control over the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent and stated that the nuclear issue was the root cause of the current situation.
Cailian Press, April 28 (edited by Niu Zhanlin) According to CCTV News, US Secretary of State Rubio accused Iran of using the Strait of Hormuz as an "economic nuclear weapon" and emphasized that the United States would neither accept reopening this important energy channel under conditions set by Iran nor agree to postpone negotiations regarding its nuclear program.
It is reported that Iran has submitted a new proposal to the US government, which includes a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the war, while postponing discussions on the nuclear issue to a later stage.
Rubio expressed skepticism about this latest proposal during an interview with the media on Monday. "If what they mean by reopening the strait is: 'Yes, the strait is open, but only if you coordinate with Iran, get our permission, otherwise we will attack you, and you also have to pay us' — then that is not reopening the strait."
Rubio believed that Iran’s de facto control over the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent. "This is not the Suez Canal, nor is it the Panama Canal; these are international waters. If this situation becomes normalized, it will not only set a precedent in the Middle East but also globally." He referred to the strait as an "economic nuclear weapon" that Iran is attempting to use against the world, stating that if they acquire nuclear weapons, they would hold the entire region hostage.
Regarding Iran's nuclear program, Rubio took a hardline stance. "It can be said with certainty that the nuclear issue is the fundamental reason for our current predicament."
Rubio also denied the existence of genuine moderates within Iran’s leadership. He stated, "There are no so-called moderates in Iran; they are all hardliners." He further added, "I have no doubt that if this radical regime remains in power, at some point in the future, they will decide to pursue nuclear weapons… This fundamental issue still needs to be addressed, and it remains the core problem in the current situation."
He commented on Iran, saying, "They are very skilled negotiators." However, he emphasized that any agreement must be able to "fundamentally prevent them from suddenly accelerating toward nuclear weapons at any time."
Rubio stated that if an agreement cannot be reached, the next step will be decided by Trump, who will make the "final decision."
The White House confirmed that President Trump has reviewed Iran’s proposal. Multiple sources revealed that Trump was not satisfied with it. A US official hinted that accepting the proposal might appear to deny Trump a victory, as he has repeatedly insisted that Iran dismantle its nuclear program.
White House Press Secretary Leavitt stated: "The President's red line on the Iran issue has been very, very clear, not only to the American public but also to the Iranian side. I would not say they are considering the proposal." She added that Trump would soon make a public statement on this issue.
Meanwhile, Iran stated that it does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons and rejected U.S. demands for it to hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and dismantle its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, despite a ceasefire agreement reached by both sides, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely at a standstill. According to MarineTraffic data, a total of 8 vessels passed through the strait from Monday night to early Tuesday, including 4 oil tankers.
Affected by the above series of negative signals, international energy prices surged again. The national average gasoline price in the United States rose to a new high since the outbreak of the conflict on Tuesday morning, reaching $4.18 per gallon, up from $4.11 the previous day.
Editor/Liam