Rubio admits US affected by rising oil prices but remains resilient

Washington (ANTARA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Tuesday (5/5) that the United States is affected by the rise in oil prices amid the conflict with Iran, yet remains sufficiently resilient to withstand the energy market impacts. “We are certainly still vulnerable to a certain extent to global prices … but ultimately, we are better protected than other countries,” Rubio said during a briefing. On Monday (4/5), US President Donald Trump said he is starting to see energy prices decline and expects prices to drop significantly after the war ends. On 28 February, the US and Israel launched joint strikes against targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing infrastructure damage and civilian casualties. Iran subsequently responded with attacks on Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East, as a form of self-defence. Tensions around the Iranian region have escalated and have caused a de facto blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and liquefied natural gas from Persian Gulf countries to global markets, which has also driven up oil prices and economic pressures in various parts of the world.