US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended Washington’s decades-long ties with Pakistan, pointing to the importance of the country’s geographic position. He made the remarks in an interview with an Indian media outlet during a three-day visit to India, his second official trip to the country this year.
Asked about his views on Pakistan, both as a senator and now as secretary of state, Rubio said his job includes managing US foreign policy. He said this requires relationships with countries, including those Washington has disagreements with. He also reiterated that the United States opposes terrorism anywhere and anyone who sponsors it.
Rubio defends US relationship with Pakistan
Rubio said Washington needs to maintain a relationship with Pakistan, a nuclear-armed country, for geographic reasons. He compared this to India’s own engagement with Iranian leaders, describing the Pakistan relationship as potentially positive.
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He said such ties could help Washington discourage actions that India is worried about, because speaking directly with Islamabad would put the US in a better position to do so.
Rubio comments on Iran war and Strait of Hormuz
On the war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said it was “very difficult to make a deal with” Tehran. He nonetheless claimed that oil and energy shipments through the strait had reached between 80% and 100% of the levels recorded before the Middle East conflict began in February.
