Rubio warns Iran of severe consequences amid escalating tensions

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran on Thursday that it will face increasingly severe consequences for its actions, as hostilities between the two countries entered their 12th day. Speaking at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in the Philippines, Rubio responded to Iranian officials' references to an 'eye for an eye' policy by stating that the Trump administration's approach is 'a head for an eye.'

'I mean, honestly, that’s what it’s going to be,' Rubio said. He was reacting to comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who described Tehran's defence strategy as 'an eye for an eye.' Rubio added that Iran's industrial infrastructure is being 'decimated,' resulting in billions of dollars in damage, and that the price Tehran pays 'will get higher every night.'

Rubio also accused Iran of not being serious about a ceasefire deal, claiming that Tehran 'breaks' or tries to 'change the deal' after entering into it. 'The problem with them is you can’t make a deal with people unless they’re going to keep it,' he said during a press briefing in Manila.

In response, Iran's top negotiator and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Wednesday that no one will be able to sell oil in the region if Tehran is prevented from doing so. 'The equation of this war is clear: either all or none,' Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that the security of the Strait of Hormuz depends on the absence of American forces.

The exchange of fire between the US military and Iran resumed after a ceasefire last month came under severe strain. Both Washington and Tehran have indicated that the truce has effectively collapsed, with the conflict now escalating toward a potential full-scale war.