Overview
- An internal State Department cable dated March 16 and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructs all U.S. posts to deliver the message at the highest appropriate level no later than March 20.
- The directive urges governments to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah as terrorist groups and to move quickly to curb their capabilities.
- The guidance tells diplomats that, at each post’s discretion, advocacy should be coordinated with Israeli counterparts and that the talking points should not be left behind.
- The cable offers no specifics on the stated elevated risk from Iran and its proxies, emphasizing instead that collective pressure is more effective than unilateral steps.
- U.S. efforts to rally partners face headwinds as several allies signaled no immediate plans to send ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even as President Trump said a list of supporting countries would be announced soon.