Rubio warns ASEAN: West Asia blockades risk precedent for Indo-Pacific

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned ASEAN leaders that allowing illegal maritime blockades in West Asia, blamed on Iran, could set a dangerous precedent for vital chokepoints in the Indo-Pacific region like the Malacca Strait.

US Blames Iran, Warns of Spreading Instability

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Southeast Asian leaders, cautioning that permitting illegal maritime blockades in West Asia risks establishing a precedent that could spread to vital Indo-Pacific chokepoints.

Speaking to foreign ministers during an ASEAN-related gathering in Manila, Rubio directly blamed Tehran for escalating Middle Eastern instability, labelling Iran the root cause of ongoing threats to global energy and trade routes.

Tehran's Role as 'Regional Troublemaker'

Addressing foreign ministers from ASEAN nations in an effort to clarify Washington's operational stance in West Asia, the top American diplomat held Tehran directly accountable for escalations in the region, terming it the "troublemaker of the region".

Rubio stated that Washington remains in active coordination with Saudi Arabia regarding security challenges posed by Iran's proxy, the Houthis, to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime corridor linking the Red Sea to the Arabian Sea. "At the gist of that issue is the fact Iran is in the middle of it. Talking about the troublemaker of the region, it's Iran," Rubio was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.

Highlighting Tehran's network of regional non-state actors, including Iran's proxy, the Houthis, alongside Hezbollah and others, the US Secretary of State asserted that Iranian backing for these groups forms the root cause of ongoing regional instability.

'Dangerous Precedent' for Global Waterways

Defending US actions in West Asia, Rubio warned of the global repercussions should illegal maritime blockades go unchecked. "If we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide that they are going to control an international waterway, charge a toll and if you don't pay them, blow up your ships, we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this region," Rubio said.

The reference to "this region" pointed to East and Southeast Asia, a geographical zone encompassing critical maritime chokepoints, including the Malacca Strait and the Taiwan Strait, where any freedom-of-navigation disruptions could trigger severe global economic fallout. (ANI)

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