Rubio Says Iran Is Attacking Commercial Ships on Key Trade Routes
The U.S. Secretary of State spoke in Atlanta about attacks on vessels and the risk to the world's food supply.
Key points
- Rubio spoke in Atlanta at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting on October 31, 2026.
- He said the Iranian regime attacks commercial ships carrying oil and gas as a tool of policy.
- He said U.S. forces have defended shipping from drones and missiles almost every night.
- He warned that disrupted sea lanes can cause food security problems.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on October 31, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia, that the Iranian regime openly attacks commercial ships as a tool of foreign policy. His remarks came at a press availability closing the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in that city.
According to Rubio, the attacks are not limited to naval vessels. He said they target ships carrying oil and natural gas, which he described as attempts to sink them. He stated that U.S. Central Command has done an outstanding job protecting that shipping.
The official said the amount of fuel moving through the area is comparable to pre-conflict levels, but that ships have still had to be defended from drones and missiles almost every night. He also mentioned attacks in the Bab al-Mandeb strait and hostile pressure in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
Rubio warned that when sea lanes are under attack or coercion, food security problems rise, because energy, fertilizer, and agricultural products cannot reach their destinations.
The remarks were part of a meeting agenda focused on energy, technology, and supply chains. According to Rubio, the full details would appear in a chair's statement from the meeting.