More Red Sea shipments disrupted, Rubio says Iran not serious about talks

Iran had strengthened its military in anticipation that its adversaries would break agreements, Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Amir Hatami said. Iranian media also cited parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesperson Hasan Qashqavi as saying Trump was in a "quagmire".

Millions of barrels of Saudi oil per day have been heading to Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu to avoid the Strait of Hormuz. If shipments cannot pass through the Red Sea's southern Bab el-Mandeb Strait, they have only the northern route out via the Suez Canal, which adds weeks to the journey.

Iran has hit vital water desalination and energy plants in Kuwait and says it has targeted U.S. military assets there and in Bahrain and Jordan. Rubio said the U.S. would protect its interests.

"The problem we're having right now is that they're not serious about talks. If they're serious, we're serious. If they're not, then we will do what's necessary to protect our interests, and also the interests of our allies," he said at a meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers in Manila.