Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the recent U.S. strike on Iran was designed to permanently eliminate what he described as the country’s nuclear threat. He said the mission had been clear “from day one.”
“This was the final, best chance to wipe out Iran’s threat for good — so they can never have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said in a video shared on X. He added that Iran could pursue civilian nuclear energy but accused Tehran of building hidden facilities capable of enriching material to weapons-grade levels, Fox News reported.
“They build their reactors and their facilities deep in mountains away from the public glare,” Rubio said. “The same equipment that they could use to enrich material for energy they could use to quickly enrich it to weapons-grade.”
Rubio warned that Iran had been close to developing a large stockpile of missiles and drones that could shield its nuclear program. He called that scenario an “intolerable risk” and said the U.S. operation also aims to degrade those capabilities.
Speaking on “Hannity,” Rubio said the U.S. remains open to direct talks with Tehran while maintaining a hard stance on negotiations. He warned that the administration would not allow talks to be used as a delay tactic.
“There is the potential for a direct meeting at some point,” Rubio said. “But what President Trump is not going to allow is fake negotiations to be used as a delay tactic.”
Rubio said the U.S. is “very, very close” to achieving its objectives in dealing with Iran. He also claimed recent U.S. actions had weakened Tehran significantly.
“This is the weakest Iran has been in 25 years,” Rubio said. “This is the weakest Iran has ever been.”
Rubio told host Sean Hannity that Iran had been working toward missile capabilities that could eventually reach the continental United States. He compared Tehran’s ambitions to those of North Korea.
“That’s what they were aiming to do,” Rubio said. “They were aiming to become the next North Korea.”
In an interview with Al Jazeera Media Network, Rubio criticized European allies for their response to the conflict and suggested the U.S. may need to reassess its relationship with NATO. He pointed to restrictions placed on U.S. military operations by allied nations, Breitbart News reported.
Rubio said some NATO members, including Spain, denied U.S. access to airspace and bases during the operation. He questioned whether the alliance remains beneficial if allies do not support the U.S. in times of need.
“If that’s the arrangement, that’s a hard one to stay engaged in and say this is good for the United States,” Rubio said. “All of it’s going to have to be re-examined.”
The administration also expressed frustration with the United Kingdom’s initial refusal to allow strikes from the joint U.S.-UK base on Diego Garcia. British officials later allowed use of airbases, which became a key staging point for operations.
President Donald Trump also criticized European allies over their response to the conflict and efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz. He urged countries reliant on the waterway to take responsibility for protecting their own energy supply.
“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore.”
Trump also criticized France for refusing to assist U.S. operations related to Iran. He said the United States would remember the lack of support from allies moving forward.
