“There's a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of Iran's ability to open up the Strait of Hormuz and enter into a real significant time limited negotiation on nuclear matters.
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MR
Statements (6)
“The president always has the option to do whatever it takes to support and protect the national interest... Over the years, Cuba has gotten used to buying time and waiting us out. They're not going to be able to wait us out or buy time. We're very serious, we're very focused.
“Operation Epic Fury is concluded. We achieved the objectives of that operation. We are now on to Project Freedom — this is not an offensive operation. There's no shooting unless we're shot at first. But I'll be honest with you, it's not going to solve the whole straits problem.
“Operation Epic Fury, as the president notified Congress, we're done with that stage of it. We achieved the objectives of that operation. Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb — that issue has to be addressed in the negotiations.
“The whole world has been impacted, unfortunately, because Iran is violating every law known by striking commercial vessels in the Straits of Hormuz. This is a regime that doesn't believe in laws and rules. It's a state sponsor of terrorism, so it is not surprising that they're now conducting terrorist operations against commercial vessels.
“Instead of interdicting it, on the president's orders, we blew it up. And it'll happen again.