Rubio predicts Iran will lose the ability to export oil
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes that Iran will, in the near term, completely lose the ability to supply oil abroad and as a result will be deprived of all revenue from this export item.
«If you look at the blockade, they shipped out oil during the term of the memorandum of understanding [with the United States]. That oil at sea is almost gone. At that point they will have no profits at all,» said the U.S. secretary of state at a press conference in Paris, commenting on the situation around Iran.
«You say that the sanctions [of Washington against Tehran] were in effect before as well. However, Iran has never faced an inability to supply energy resources to the world market as it does today. They have never faced this and certain other actions we are taking that I cannot discuss and that have an enormous economic impact on them,» Rubio stated, answering reporters' questions at the conclusion of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven.
According to the information presented by the U.S. secretary of state, the transportation of oil through the Strait of Hormuz by countries neighboring Iran has already practically returned to prewar levels.
«Nevertheless, oil is being shipped out. On some nights 80–85% of the volumes that were transported before the start of the conflict are being shipped out. The reason it is not 100% is that Iranian oil is not being shipped out. The only oil that is not consistently transported through the Strait of Hormuz is Iranian,» Rubio asserted.
By his forecast, China will soon lose the ability to purchase Iranian oil due to the described situation. «Soon there will be no oil left that can be bought. The only oil that can be purchased is loaded onto ships. And there is almost none of it left,» Rubio is convinced.
