Strait of Hormuz Crisis: Marco Rubio Warns All Ships Must Follow US Orders, Raises Iran Oil Issue With EAM S Jaishankar

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has explicitly warned that the United States will show zero tolerance for violations of its naval blockade or the illicit transport of Iranian oil. In a high-level diplomatic phone call with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Rubio emphasized that all commercial vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz must immediately comply with directives issued by American forces. The discussions come at a moment of acute friction in the Middle East, directly impacting international shipping corridors and testing the strategic partnership between Washington and New Delhi.

Enforcing the Maritime Blockade

According to an official readout from the US State Department, Secretary Rubio used the call to outline Washington's rigid enforcement posture in West Asia. He underscored that American naval assets are actively seeking to uphold peace and security in the highly volatile Strait of Hormuz, a choke point responsible for the transit of roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum liquids. During the conversation, Rubio made it clear that Washington views any attempts to bypass its economic and military restrictions on Tehran as a security threat. The State Department noted that Rubio specifically targeted the "illicit transport of Iranian oil," indicating that the US military intends to maintain strict surveillance and intervention protocols on ships suspected of flouting international sanctions. ‘US-Iran Truce Deal Likely To Be Finalised in 24 Hours’: Pakistan.

Strained Ties and Indian Seafarer Casualties

The stern messaging from Washington follows sharp diplomatic blowback from New Delhi regarding recent US military actions in the Gulf of Oman. Minister Jaishankar lodged a strong formal protest with Rubio, calling recent lethal actions by the US Navy against commercial shipping "not justified." The diplomatic friction peaked after Indian authorities confirmed that three Indian mariners were killed following a US naval strike on the foreign-flagged commercial tanker, MT Settebello, which American forces accused of violating the blockade. A separate incident involved US forces firing missiles at another vessel, the MT Jalveer, though its all-Indian crew was safely evacuated.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has twice summoned US Chargé d'Affaires Jason Meeks to condemn the use of deadly force against civilian maritime commerce, noting that India is one of the largest global suppliers of merchant seafarers. Iran War: What We Know So Far About the Reported US-Iran Peace Deal.

'All Ships Must Follow US Orders'

News Alert ! Violations of US blockade and illicit transport of Iranian oil will not be tolerated: Rubio to Jaishankar. pic.twitter.com/EbDIda8gS0

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 13, 2026

Geopolitical Stakes in the Hormuz Strait

The escalation dates back to late February, when the US and Israel launched coordinated operations against Iran, prompting Washington to institute a sweeping naval blockade on Iranian ports. In retaliation, Tehran has severely restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and deployed drone networks, further endangering international shipping. Despite the firm rhetoric concerning blockade compliance, US officials indicated that parallel diplomatic tracks remain active. Rubio noted that minor progress has been made over the last 48 hours on an administrative outline aimed at stabilizing the region, though any definitive breakthrough remains entirely contingent upon full Iranian compliance and the complete cessation of hostile actions.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 13, 2026 07:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).