Secretary Rubio says Iran is striking commercial vessels in Straits of Hormuz and calls it "terrorist activity"

Secretary Rubio told reporters he hoped "we have more news later today" about whether Iran will "come to the table," and warned that attacks on shipping by Iran were affecting the entire world.

The briefing began with a reporter asking whether Iran could be expected to negotiate; Rubio said he hoped for developments soon. When asked about a Newsweek item quoting Cuba’s president saying Cuba would "strike back" if the United States launched operations there, Rubio said, "I don’t think much about what he has to say." The reporter then asked for a message to other nations, including New Zealand, that have been affected by the fighting in Iran.

Responding, Secretary Rubio described Iran’s actions in the Gulf as a broader international problem. "The whole world’s been impacted unfortunately because Iran is violating every law known by striking commercial vessels in the Straits of Hormuz," he said, adding that "it’s a state sponsor of terrorism" and that "they’re now conducting terrorist activity against commercial vessels." Those characterizations were attributed directly to Rubio in the briefing; the transcript does not include supporting documentation or additional detail about specific incidents.

The briefing concluded shortly after those exchanges. The transcript identifies the speaker as "Secretary Rubio" but does not specify which federal department or agency he represents in this exchange.