Washington DC - Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday blasted Iran for using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in the widening Middle East war, adding that other countries must "step up" to protect global shipping.
"It's clear that Iran, at least some people in Iran, want to control the straits and hold that as leverage against the world," Rubio told reporters at Joint Base Andrews ahead of traveling to the Philippines.
His journey to Manila, will see him attend a meeting of foreign ministers with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Talks will focus on maintaining a "free and open" Indo-Pacific.
"The United States will do and continue to do what it needs to, to protect global shipping, but other countries need to begin to step up and provide, whether it's hardware or finances, to help carry that burden," he continued.
When asked if there was still a diplomatic off-ramp to the escalating conflict, Rubio said: "I think we're always open to diplomacy. It has to be real. It has to be a deal that they're willing to live by."
A fragile truce between Iran and the United States broke down a fortnight ago after reported attacks by Tehran on ships in the Strait of Hormuz saw the US renew its all-out attacks.
The critical international waterway through which a fifth of the globe's oil and gas supply transits has become one of Tehran's sole points of leverage against the Trump administration.
"They can't have [a Memorandum of Understanding] that's alive if they're violating the terms of it," Rubio said.
"What I will say is that the United States always remains open to a diplomatic solution. We've tried multiple times with Iran, and we'll continue to try."