Rubio says U.S. expects Iran to respond to peace proposal on Friday

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on the 8th in Rome, Italy, that the U.S. expects to receive a formal response from Iran on Friday regarding a "14-point ceasefire proposal," with Washington hoping this will help end the U.S.-Iran conflict and restart negotiations over Iran's nuclear issue.

However, Rubio also warned that if Iran continues military provocations in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. forces will continue their "defensive responses," emphasizing that any action threatening Americans will be met with strong retaliation.

After meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Rubio told reporters: "We should know some results today… We are waiting for their response. We will see what the content is. We hope this will lead us into a truly serious negotiation process."

He added that the U.S. hopes Iran presents a "serious proposal," noting that Washington has not yet received an official document.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials stated through official media that Tehran is still studying the U.S. message conveyed via Pakistan’s mediation and has not yet made a final decision. The Tasnim News Agency cited sources within Iran’s Foreign Ministry as saying Iran is assessing the conditions and framework proposed by the United States.

Several American media outlets recently revealed that the U.S. and Iran are nearing an agreement on a memorandum of understanding containing 14 points, aimed at ending hostilities, restoring diplomatic contact, and reopening discussions on Iran’s nuclear program.

Yet, amid unclear diplomatic progress, tensions in the Strait of Hormuz remain extremely high. Both sides have continued accusing each other of initiating attacks, even though President Donald Trump insisted the ceasefire "remains in effect," while naval military friction has not ceased.

Trump described the recent clashes as merely "a light tap" on the 7th, stating that Iran "very much wants to reach an agreement."

Rubio warned on the 8th that if Iran attempts to establish institutions to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and impose fees on vessels, the U.S. would regard this as "unacceptable."

"How would the world view this? Would the world accept Iran now controlling an international waterway? If the world accepts it, then other countries will do the same thing in their own nearby international waterways in the future," he said.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical energy transport routes, carrying about one-fifth of global oil supply. Since the outbreak of U.S.-Iran conflict, maritime traffic in the region has been severely affected, causing dramatic fluctuations in international oil prices. The International Energy Agency has described the current crisis as "the greatest energy security threat in history."

The U.S. Central Command stated on the 8th that U.S. forces had taken military action against three Iranian-linked oil tankers recently. Two Iranian-flagged tankers attempting to break through U.S. blockades and enter an Iranian port in the Gulf of Oman were disabled by U.S. fighter jets.

The U.S. statement noted that an F/A-18 "Super Hornet" aircraft deployed from the USS George H.W. Bush launched precision munitions at the chimneys of two tankers, M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, rendering them immobile and preventing them from entering an Iranian port.

Additionally, on Wednesday this week, U.S. forces used F/A-18 cannons to fire several rounds at another tanker named M/T Hasna, disabling it.

The U.S. said these actions were in response to recent Iranian attacks on U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. military response was "defensive in nature."

"What you saw yesterday was Iran attacking a U.S. destroyer while it was sailing in international waters. The U.S. responded only defensively to protect itself. We did not open fire first— they fired at us first," he said.

Rubio also stated that the previously conducted "Operation Epic Fury" had ended. This operation was a large-scale offensive campaign targeting Iran’s military capabilities, including destroying missile launch facilities and naval and air forces.

"The military actions seen yesterday differ from 'Operation Epic Fury'—they were independent and separate operations," he said.

Rubio spoke firmly, saying: "Only foolish nations fail to retaliate when attacked, and we are not foolish nations."

When asked whether the U.S. had drawn clear "red lines" for Iran, Rubio stated plainly: "The red line is clear: if they threaten Americans, they will be blown apart." He also criticized Iran’s "swarm tactics" using small boats, noting that although Iran "no longer has a real navy," it still sends numerous small fast boats close to U.S. warships.

Besides pressuring Iran, Rubio also directed criticism toward certain NATO allies. He said that some NATO countries refusing to allow U.S. use of bases for operations against Iran were "creating problems," and that Washington would re-examine related arrangements in the future.

"If one major reason for the U.S. presence in Europe is to project military power during crises, and now certain NATO nations no longer allow this, then that is a problem—and must be reviewed," he said.

Rubio revealed that Trump has not yet decided how to respond to these allies, but Washington has already begun reassessing the deployment of U.S. troops in Europe.

According to U.S. officials, Spain is the only NATO country that has clearly refused U.S. use of its bases for offensive operations against Iran; while Italy initially refused permission for U.S. combat aircraft bound for the Middle East to land at Sigonella base, it still allowed the use of the base for logistical support purposes.

The U.S. Department of Defense previously announced the withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. soldiers from Germany. Rubio said this troop reduction was already planned and essentially just returned to the 2022 force levels.

In recent months, Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO, even calling it a "paper tiger," and has threatened further withdrawals from Italy and Spain. However, a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2023 restricts the president from exiting NATO without congressional approval.

On other Middle East issues, Rubio stated that the U.S. will not negotiate with Iran over Lebanon’s Hezbollah issue, and believes Italy can help strengthen the Lebanese government’s capacity to counter Hezbollah’s influence.

"Lebanon should be governed by its own government, not by a terrorist organization operating on its territory, threatening its people, its government, Israel, and other neighboring countries," he said.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1864683007022362/

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