US Concludes Military Operation Against Iran, Warns About Risks of Nuclear-Armed Iran

The United States has said its offensive military action against Iran has come to an end, even as trouble continues in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the White House, Marco Rubio said, “ Operation Epic Fury is concluded.” He added, “We achieved the objectives of that operation.” The operation had run for 66 days, beginning when the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Rubio stepped in for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is currently on maternity leave, and addressed reporters on Tuesday. The focus of the briefing was the tense situation in the Persian Gulf and the ongoing concerns around Iran. During the briefing, Rubio spoke frankly about how difficult it is to negotiate with Iran. He explained that even a simple response can take days because of how their system works. “An offer will be made, and then it takes five or six days to get a response because you have to get it through the whole system,” he said. “They have to find the supreme leader wherever he hides. They have to get him to sign off. And that’s their system.” He added that this complicated process is nothing new, but things have become even slower now. “Their system has always been multilayered in this way. It’s obviously become more complex because of the damage they suffered during the war,” Rubio said. At the same time, he made it clear that the US does not expect Iran to shift its stance easily. “Iran has to pay a price. They’re not going to change their position out of the kindness of their heart.” Rubio also issued a strong warning about what could happen if Iran were to develop nuclear weapons, especially when it comes to control over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil route. “If Iran had a nuclear weapon and they decided to close the Strait and make our gas prices like $9 a gallon or $8 a gallon, we wouldn’t be able to do anything about it because they have a nuclear weapon,” he said. Stressing the scale of the risk, Rubio added, “A nuclear-armed Iran could do whatever the hell they want with the Strait, and there’s nothing anyone would be able to do about it.” Wrapping up his remarks, Rubio said such a situation must be avoided at all costs. “That’s the world none of us wants to leave behind. It won’t happen under this president’s watch.” Just hours after Rubio’s remarks, Donald Trump announced a pause in a US-led plan meant to help stranded ships move safely through the Strait of Hormuz. “Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalised and signed,” Trump wrote in a social media post. He said the decision came after requests from Pakistan and other countries. However, he made it clear that pressure on Iran would continue. The US blockade on ships going to and from Iranian ports, he said, would “remain in full force and effect.” By declaring the war phase complete, the administration also avoids difficult legal questions. Under the War Powers Act, a president must wind down military action within 60 days unless Congress approves it. That deadline had already passed by about a week. Still, Rubio described the US role as defensive going forward. “The goal here is pretty simple: establish a zone of transit that is protected by a bubble — the United States, both naval and air assets, and then allow ships who want to move, to move through there and get to market, to begin to increase confidence in the ability to do so,” he said. Meanwhile, Iran has pushed back strongly against US calls to return to talks. The country’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, called the US position unrealistic. “The problem is that while the US pursues a policy of maximum pressure against our country, it also expects the Islamic Republic of Iran to come to the negotiating table and ultimately submit to its unilateral demands, an equation that is impossible,” he said during a call with Iraq’s prime minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi. The uncertainty has already hit oil markets. On Tuesday, Brent crude dropped about 3.6% to below $111 a barrel after rising nearly 6% a day earlier. The sharp swings show just how sensitive markets are to any news from the region.