WorldPosted at: Oct 7 2026 10:31PM


US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims Iran has 'lost complete control' over Strait of Hormuz

Athens, Oct 7 (UNI) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Iran had "lost complete control" of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming that the Islamic Republic's economy was in "total and complete freefall".
"The Strait of Hormuz is open. There's almost as much oil flowing out now as there was before this conflict began. So, they've lost complete control of the straits," Rubio told reporters during a visit to Athens, adding that crippling sanctions had pushed Iran's economy towards the edge.
Any agreement acceptable to Washington would have to ensure Iran "will never have a nuclear weapon," he continued.
Rubio also accused Tehran of seeking to build a conventional military capability so large that it would become "untouchable".
Shipping data earlier this week showed crude oil exports from West Asia remained above pre-war levels for most of the final week of September, even as attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz continued to increase.
Maritime security sources said attacks on tankers reached their highest level last week since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in late February. At least 12 oil, LNG and LPG tankers were attacked around the strait between September 28 and October 5, according to three maritime security sources analysing information from the area.
Separate data from the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) recorded nine incidents involving vessels during the same period. Maritime sources said the IMO generally takes longer to verify and officially record incidents. The comparable figure was eight incidents during the week of July 13, according to IMO data.
During his Athens visit, Rubio also announced that the US and Greece would launch new counterterrorism information-sharing between their law enforcement agencies.
Greece is a key NATO ally of the US and provides military facilities supporting security in the Eastern Mediterranean. It also leads an EU maritime mission protecting commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said Greece was prepared to cooperate with Washington and provide maritime assistance in the Strait of Hormuz if a viable peace process emerges.
Greece has also been positioning itself as a hub for energy transport in southeastern Europe, as the wars involving Iran and Ukraine have highlighted vulnerabilities in regional supply routes.
New gas pipelines and port infrastructure have allowed Greece to contribute to the so-called vertical corridor carrying energy through eastern Europe to Ukraine.
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