Manila, July 22 -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Southeast Asian leaders, cautioning that permitting illegal maritime blockades in West Asia risks establishing a precedent that could spread to vital Indo-Pacific chokepoints.

Speaking to foreign ministers during an ASEAN-related gathering in Manila, Rubio directly blamed Tehran for escalating Middle Eastern instability, labelling Iran the root cause of ongoing threats to global energy and trade routes.

Addressing foreign ministers from ASEAN nations in an effort to clarify Washington's operational stance in West Asia, the top American diplomat held Tehran directly accountable for escalations in the region, terming it the "troublemaker of the region".

Rubio stated...