U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed U.S. efforts to stop “the Islamic Republic of Iran’s unlawful mining and tolling of the Strait of Hormuz” during a call on Tuesday with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said.
Rubio and Guterres also reviewed a draft U.N. Security Council resolution introduced earlier this month by the United States and Bahrain that calls on Iran to halt attacks on commercial shipping, cease laying sea mines in the strategic waterway and end what the resolution describes as illegal tolls on vessels transiting the strait.
The proposed measure further calls on Tehran to disclose information about sea mines, cooperate with international demining efforts and support the establishment of a humanitarian corridor through the strait.
According to Pigott, Rubio highlighted the “overwhelming support of a broad base of U.N. members” for the resolution, which is backed by Bahrain and other Gulf Arab states.
Rubio stated that his conversation with Guterres focused on “advancing U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for a more effective, efficient and accountable U.N. focused on peace.”
Pigott called Trump’s approach a “back to basics” vision for the United Nations and noted that Rubio championed USDA Under Secretary Luke Lindberg as the new executive director of the U.N. World Food Program.
Lindberg thanked Rubio for supporting his nomination, stating that “alongside the United States, the U.N. WFP will play a pivotal role in reaching zero hunger.”
