By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued on Tuesday that the United States has achieved its objectives in its military campaign against Iran, despite not yet securing Tehran’s enriched uranium, and that the effort to ensure safe passage for oil transit in the Strait of Hormuz is a separate, smaller, defensive operation.
Rubio made a rare appearance in the White House briefing room to take questions from reporters in the absence of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is out on maternity leave. His comments appeared aimed at blunting criticism from members of Congress who argue that President Donald Trump has effectively violated provisions of the War Powers Resolution, a 1973 law that allows the president 60 days to wage military action before ending it.
The Iran war began with airstrikes launched by Israel and the United States on February 28. Trump formally notified Congress of the conflict 48 hours later, triggering a 60-day deadline, which was last Friday, to end the war or make the case to Congress for extending it.
The White House got around the requirement by declaring on Friday that hostilities under Operation Epic Fury had terminated, and Rubio amplified that argument at his press conference.
“The Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. I’m not going to, you know – we’re not cheering for an additional situation to occur. We would prefer the path of peace. What the president would prefer is a deal,” Rubio said.
Rubio said the new operation aimed at opening the Strait of Hormuz, known as Project Freedom, is smaller in scale and distinct from the original combat plan. He described it as a defensive operation, saying the United States will not engage militarily “unless we’re shot at.”
TEN SAILORS DEAD, RUBIO SAYS
While Rubio argued that Operation Epic Fury achieved its goals, one of Trump’s central objectives in launching military strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has yet to hand over more than 900 pounds (408 kg) of highly enriched uranium.
Rubio said the new operation in the Strait of Hormuz was trying to relieve the anguish of about 23,000 people from 87 countries aboard ships trapped in the Gulf. He said 10 civilian sailors have died due to the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.
“They’re isolated, they’re starving, they’re vulnerable and at least 10 sailors have died as a result, civilian sailors,” Rubio said, without providing additional details.
Rubio said the United States has been in touch with a number of ships about moving out of the strait, echoing remarks made earlier by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The United Arab Emirates said it was under attack from Iranian missiles and drones on Tuesday, even as Washington said a shaky ceasefire was intact.
Hegseth said hundreds of ships were lining up to pass through the critical waterway. Before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February, about 20% of global oil supplies passed through the strait daily.
PUSH FOR NUCLEAR DEAL
Rubio said it was time for Tehran to “accept the reality of the situation,” adding that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were continuing to explore a diplomatic solution.
That solution had to address any nuclear material that Iran still had buried “deep somewhere,” Rubio said.
“The president’s been clear that part of the negotiation process has to be not just the enrichment, but what happens to this material that’s buried deep somewhere that they still have access to if they ever wanted to dig it out,” he said.
Rubio declined to provide details on what progress had been made and said the actual agreement would not need to be written out in one day.
“This is highly complex, and highly technical, but we have to have a diplomatic solution that is very clear about the topics that they are willing to negotiate on and the extent and the concessions they are willing to make at the front end in order to make those talks worthwhile,” he said.
(Reporting by Steve Holland, Gram Slattery and Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Michelle Nichols, Alistair Bell and Matthew Lewis)
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