President Trump’s policy on Iran is “a head for an eye,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday, adding that Yemen’s Houthi rebels had been “suckered” into attacking Red Sea shipping by Iran.

“The president’s policy is ‘a head for an eye.’ I mean, honestly, that’s what it’s going to be,” Rubio said on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Manila, the capital of The Philippines. 

Iran’s foreign minister recently described his country’s “defense doctrine” as “an eye for an eye.”

Referring to Houthi claims to have hit two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday, Rubio said: “The Houthis largely were smart and stayed out of all this throughout the conflict … but they now apparently have gotten themselves suckered into this, going after Saudi Arabia and their ships.” 

“I hope they will de-escalate, because I think the Houthis, frankly, got snookered into this thing by the Iranians,” he told reporters.

“Iran is begging us, both directly and indirectly, let’s do a deal, let’s talk,” Rubio added. “Iran is begging every day.” 

“The problem with Iran is every time they make a deal, the people who are in charge there, they either break it, or they want to change it. So it looks like they’re not ready to make a deal, so they’re going to continue to pay a price.” 

“Every night the price gets higher and higher and higher,” he said “Right now, apparently, they haven’t come to their senses, and so the president doesn’t see a lot of utility in responding to their overtures at this point.” 

“Iran is clearly not ready to make a deal – at least, not one they’re willing to live by,” Rubio added.

CBS/AFP