US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s policy towards Iran is now “a head for an eye,” a sharp escalation of rhetoric following Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s statement that Tehran’s defence doctrine rests on “an eye for an eye.” Speaking on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila, Rubio said Iran would “continue to pay a very heavy price” and that the cost “will increase every single night” until its leadership changes course. The remarks came hours after Trump posted on social media that any future Iranian attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz would be met with the bombing and destruction of “a bridge or power plant,” including those near or inside the capital, Tehran.

Viewed from Washington, the administration’s position is that Iran is not prepared to conclude or honour a durable agreement. Rubio claimed that Tehran is “begging us, directly and indirectly, let’s make a deal, let’s talk,” but that each time a ceasefire is reached, “the people in power there either violate it or want to change it.” He stated that Iran’s defence industrial base has been “decimated,” with launchers and radars lost nightly. US Central Command confirmed that its forces struck military targets inside Iran for a twelfth consecutive night, including naval capabilities, missile and drone storage, coastal monitoring sites, and air-defence systems. In parallel, the US is conditioning any ceasefire on a new framework for the Strait of Hormuz that would guarantee the “military neutralisation” of the waterway by reducing the offensive capabilities of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps around it, according to regional diplomatic sources.

In Tehran, officials have framed their actions as defensive. Foreign Minister Araghchi warned on social media that any aggression against Iran, including its infrastructure, would be met with a “strong and decisive” response, and that any party supporting a military campaign against Iran would be considered a “legitimate target.” The IRGC has separately threatened “regret-inducing operations” that would lead to “public mourning in America” if attacks continue. The standoff has already rippled through global energy markets: Brent crude rose above $100 per barrel for the first time since late May, driven by sharply higher insurance premiums for oil and gas tankers and by Houthi attacks on Saudi-flagged vessels in the Red Sea. The Iran-aligned Houthi movement, which Rubio said had been “duped by Iran,” has opened a new front, striking two Saudi tankers and threatening to widen the conflict.

Amid the military escalation, the Trump administration is advancing a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia. Rubio described the kingdom as a “critical strategic partner” and said it was “logical” to conclude such a deal, adding that any US nuclear agreement would include provisions guaranteeing peaceful use and prohibiting military applications. The text is expected to be sent to Congress for review in the coming days. Analysts in the Gulf note that the move is seen as part of a broader effort to counterbalance Iran while offering Riyadh a credible alternative to pursuing its own enrichment capabilities. With diplomatic channels reportedly still open through intermediaries including Pakistan, the immediate outlook remains one of continued military pressure and stalled negotiations, as Washington insists it will not agree to a ceasefire until a new Hormuz arrangement is in place.