War set to last ‘weeks’ longer, Iran could permanently toll Hormuz, Rubio says

Washington: The war in Iran is set to last weeks longer and the Islamic Republic may seek to permanently toll the Strait of Hormuz, Marco Rubio has said, sending markets tumbling on fresh fears of a prolonged conflict.

Speaking in France, where he met G7 counterparts, the US secretary of state pressured American allies – including those in the Indo-Pacific, such as Australia – to take the helm on protecting the crucial shipping passage.

“After this thing ends, and we’re done with our objectives, one of the immediate challenges we’re going to face is an Iran that may decide that they want to set up a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

“Not only is this illegal, it’s unacceptable, it’s dangerous to the world. And it’s important that the world have a plan to confront it.

“The United States is prepared to be a part of that plan. We don’t have to lead that plan, but we’re happy to be a part of it.”

Rubio said other countries – which are more dependent on oil imports than the US – had more to lose economically from a strait that stayed closed or was subject to Iranian tolls.

“Not just the G7 countries but countries in Asia and all over the world have a lot at stake and should contribute greatly to that effort.”

Some US allies have baulked at being asked to clean up a mess that has stemmed from the US-Israeli decision to wage war on Iran four weeks ago.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would defend British interests and lives but would not “get dragged into the war”.

Rubio told reporters that military operations in Iran would last “a matter of weeks, not months”. US news site Axios reported that he told his G7 counterparts the time frame was about two to four weeks.

With the war now in its fifth week, that would potentially take it beyond the initial four- to six-week timeframe given by the Pentagon and White House, though only by a fortnight.

“Obviously, we’ve got some work to do; we have to finish the job,” Rubio said. “This is not going to be a prolonged conflict.”

‘We’re talking to them’

Appearing at a Saudi Arabian-sponsored conference in Miami, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said the US believed meetings with the Iranians would occur this week.

“We’re certainly hopeful for it,” he said. “We may have a different definition of negotiating than they do … but we’re talking to them. Ships are passing [through the Strait of Hormuz] – that’s a very, very good sign.”

However, two Chinese container ships turned back after trying to exit ​the Gulf via the strait on Friday, ship-tracking data showed, despite assurances from Iran that Chinese vessels ‌could pass.

It was also not clear what happened to the 10 oil tankers Trump said Iran was allowing through the strait as a goodwill gesture during negotiations with the US.

Rubio indicated the talks were still in their infancy and might be limited in scope. “We’ve had an exchange of messages and indications from the Iranian system, whatever’s left of it, about a willingness to talk about certain things,” he said.

“We’re waiting for further clarification about who is it that we’ll be talking to, what will we be talking about and when will we be talking. I don’t have any news for you on that yet, it could happen at any moment.”

Markets slumped heavily at the prospect of weeks’ more war and ongoing blockages or tolling of the Strait of Hormuz. The Nasdaq fell 2.15 per cent and the Dow Jones another 1.73 per cent to just over 45,000 points – a decline from above 50,000 before the war.

Brent crude, the international oil standard, shot up to above $US114 ($166) – its highest closing price since the war’s outbreak. It has risen nearly 60 per cent in a month.

Meanwhile, Israel bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Arak heavy water plant. The Israel Defence Forces said: “The IDF will not allow the Iranian regime to continue advancing its nuclear weapons program, which poses an existential threat to Israel and the entire world.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran had reported another strike on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, “the third such incident in 10 days”, although no radiation release was reported and Iran said the plant’s condition was normal.

IAEA director-general Rafael Grossi said he was deeply concerned about military activity near nuclear power plants and reiterated his call for “maximum restraint to avoid the risk of a nuclear accident”.

The American military build-up in the Middle East – which involves thousands of marines and paratroopers – continued with CBS News reporting that the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier was also bound for the region.

‘Sort of finished but not finished’

Meanwhile, an Iranian missile attack wounded at least 12 American service members and damaged several planes at a military base in Saudi Arabia, according to two US officials familiar with the situation. Two of the troops were seriously wounded, one of the officials said.

Israel said on Saturday that it had detected a missile fired from Yemen, the first since the Iran war began, hours after the country’s Iran-aligned Houthis said they were prepared to act if what they described as an escalation against Iran and the “axis of resistance” continued.

Trump has threatened to significantly escalate the conflict by bombing Iran’s energy facilities, but last week he pushed back his “deadline” for Iran to make a deal until April 6, while talks continue.

“It’s sort of finished, but it’s not finished,” he said of the war on Friday (Washington time).

On stage in Miami, Trump referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the “Strait of Trump”. Catching himself, he said it was not a mistake. “There’s no accidents with me.”

At their meeting in France, G7 foreign ministers released a statement affirming the “absolute necessity to permanently restore safe and toll-free freedom of navigation” in the Strait of Hormuz.

Australia is among about two dozen nations that have agreed to support “appropriate efforts” to reopen the waterway.

With AP, Reuters

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter.