US Secretary of State Rubio: 7 Iranian speedboats sunk

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a press conference at the White House.

Stating that US President Donald Trump launched an operation called Project Freedom over the weekend to rescue 23,000 civilians from 87 different countries stranded in the Persian Gulf, Rubio said, "Countries from all over the world, many of which are not involved in the conflict, are now at risk of losing not only their cargo on ships but also their citizens. You cannot leave these ships at sea for this long. Food runs out, drinking water runs out, basic necessities run out. This is literally piracy."

"At least 10 sailors have lost their lives"

Rubio said, "They are currently sitting ducks, isolated, starving, and desperate. At least 10 civilian sailors have lost their lives. For this reason, many countries, some publicly and some privately, have asked the US to rescue their ships and restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz." Stating that President Trump has instructed the military to rescue the stranded ships and bring them out of the region under a protective security umbrella, Rubio said, "This is not an offensive operation. This is a defensive operation. The meaning of this is very simple. We do not fire unless fired upon. We do not attack. But if we or a ship are attacked, it will be met with a response."

Expressing that the Strait of Hormuz forms a route for a quarter of global oil trade, and that large quantities of fuel and fertilizer also pass through this strait, Rubio said, "The Iranian regime cannot be allowed to decide who uses this vital waterway. International law is very clear. This is an international waterway. It cannot be controlled by any single country. No one has the right to say, 'I will mine these waters and blow up passing ships.' Iran is doing exactly that. This is a crime and something must be done about it."

"Inflation in Iran is at 70 percent"

Stating that two US-flagged commercial ships have successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz so far, Rubio said that while Project Freedom is progressing, Operation Economic Fury against the Iranian economy is also continuing.

Rubio said, "Today, inflation in Iran is at 70 percent and the currency is literally in freefall."

The US Secretary of State said that Iran is losing 500 million dollars a day due to the blockade imposed by the US and that 90 percent of Iran's trade has been halted.

Warning of sanctions for financial institutions doing business with Iran

Rubio announced that those who enable Iran to evade sanctions will face secondary sanctions and lose access to the US financial system.

In his statement, Rubio expressed that the US Department of the Treasury is identifying and blocking every dollar going to the Iranian administration, saying, "Every foreign financial institution that provides assistance to Iran in bypassing sanctions will face secondary sanctions and lose access to the US financial system."

"We prefer to return to the pre-war situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz"

US Secretary of State Rubio said, "We prefer to return to the pre-war situation regarding the Strait of Hormuz. There should be no mines in the water. No one should have to pay a toll. This is the point we need to return to, and that is the goal here."

He called on Iran to return to the negotiating table and accept the terms.

US Secretary of State Rubio stated that Iran must return to the negotiating table and accept the terms. Saying that it is time for Iran to make a choice, Rubio said, "Iran must accept the reality of this situation, return to the negotiating table, and accept terms that are good for them but ultimately good for the world as well."

"Iran has the opportunity to make a deal that truly shows it does not want nuclear weapons"

When asked at the press conference whether there was any sign that Iran was ready to abandon its nuclear program, Rubio replied, "This has been a long-standing problem for them."

Saying that Iran always claims it does not want nuclear weapons but that this is not true, Rubio said, "We know they have 60 percent enriched uranium. They did this. There is no civilian use for this. Zero. Therefore, Iran has an opportunity here to make a deal that truly shows it does not want nuclear weapons. Saying 'We don't want nuclear weapons' is one thing, but doing things that prove it is another." Rubio stated that the US preference is for a diplomatic solution, saying, "I hope we get good news on this."

He said they would work for a permanent ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel

Regarding a question about a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, Rubio said, "There is no direct problem between the Lebanese government and the Israeli government. Israel does not claim rights over Lebanese territory. A peace agreement between Lebanon and Israel is possible and should be. The problem is not between Israel and Lebanon. The problem is Hezbollah."

Rubio stated that they aim to bring the Lebanese and Israeli governments to the table with American mediation, saying, "But for this, the Lebanese state needs not only the will but also the capacity. The capacity to stand up to Hezbollah and disarm it."

Saying that Tehran is behind all the problems in the Middle East, Rubio said, "Hezbollah is an extension of Iran's strategy to destabilize the region." Rubio announced that they would ensure Lebanon and Israel continue to talk to each other and that they would try to make progress toward a permanent ceasefire.

He said fuel prices remained low compared to the levels they could have reached if Iran had nuclear weapons.

When asked about the average price of gasoline in the US being 4.5 dollars and how much longer the American people would have to endure this, Rubio replied, "If Iran had nuclear weapons and closed the strait and drove gas prices up to 8-9 dollars, we couldn't do anything about it. Because they would have nuclear weapons. They could do whatever they wanted in the strait and no one could stop them."

"Operation Epic Fury has ended"

Saying that the US has thwarted Iran's efforts to build a conventional shield for its nuclear program, Rubio said, "Their plan was to build a conventional shield consisting of thousands of missiles, drones, and rockets. This way, they would ensure no one attacked them. Behind this shield, they wanted to advance their nuclear program as they pleased. But that shield is gone now."

Stating that this was the goal of the operation from the very beginning, Rubio announced that "Operation Epic Fury" had ended, saying, "We have finished that phase." Rubio said, "Now we are in the Project Freedom phase. But the negotiations must address not only enrichment but also what will happen to the nuclear material hidden deeper. This issue will definitely be resolved."

He announced that the UN resolution would be resubmitted with minor changes

Announcing that the US would resubmit the UN resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, which was previously vetoed by Russia and China, with some minor changes to the text, Rubio said, "I think this will be a real test for the UN to be an institution that can solve global problems and function."

Expressing that they want Iran's de facto illegal closure of the Strait of Hormuz, blowing up of merchant ships, and laying of mines in the water to be condemned, Rubio said, "All we want is for them to condemn it. We are demanding that Iran be called upon to stop blowing up ships, clear the mines, and allow the passage of humanitarian aid. That's all. This is a very modest request."

"The Strait of Hormuz does not belong to Iran"

Saying that Iran has closed an international waterway, Rubio said, "The Strait of Hormuz does not belong to Iran, and Iran has no right to close the strait. This situation cannot be normalized." The US Secretary of State said, "The whole world should join us on this. This should not just be our business. We hope to involve countries in this. We will give them an opportunity to do something at the UN."

"The path the President prefers is a deal"

When asked if the operation would still be called "Project Freedom" if the conflicts were to resume, Rubio said, "Operation Epic Fury is complete and the goals have been achieved. We are not cheering for an additional situation to arise. We prefer the path of peace. The path the President prefers is a deal."

Rubio said, "Our message is that Iran is facing a major catastrophe in terms of its economy, a devastation that will last for generations. It is a devastation that will harm the wealth of this country for generations and one they have imposed on themselves through their own actions. They need to get their act together before they ruin themselves."