US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the United States prefers to resolve its differences with Iran peacefully, but must be prepared for the possibility that these efforts might fail. Referring to US objectives in the region, he said: “Imagine Iran in two years with thousands more missiles and factories—that risk had to be addressed. President Trump is handling it. What you’re seeing now is Iran at its weakest point.” Regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, the American diplomat stressed that “the United States will not allow Iran to charge ships passing through there.”
“It’s obvious that there are people there speaking to us in a way that previous Iranian leaders had not spoken to us in the past. We always prefer to resolve issues through negotiations and diplomacy, but we also have to be prepared for the possibility that these efforts might fail. We’re dealing with a 47-year-old regime, in which many people who are not necessarily supporters of diplomacy and peace continue to participate. If there are now new people in power who have a more rational perspective on the future, that would be good news for us, for them, for the entire world,” Rubio told ABC.
‼️ Rubio in an interview with ABC: We always prefer to settle things through diplomacy. But we also have to be prepared for the fact that effort might fail.
pic.twitter.com/Ljwc24r2v9— Hiba Nasr (@HibaNasr) March 30, 2026
🚨 JUST IN: Marco Rubio blasts ABC over Iran coverage:
“Imagine Iran in two years with thousands more missiles and factories—that risk had to be addressed. President Trump is handling it. What you’re seeing now is Iran at its weakest point.”
Nailed it. pic.twitter.com/bScqZ8RIj5— Global Pulse (@globalpluse777) March 30, 2026
Rubio: No one has seen Iran’s Supreme Leader
In other statements Rubio made to Al Jazeera, he mentioned among other things that “the Iranian regime can never acquire nuclear weapons and must stop funding terrorism and manufacturing weapons that threaten its neighbors. The short-range missiles launched by the Iranians have only one purpose: to attack Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The Iranian regime wants to acquire nuclear weapons to threaten and blackmail the world, but we will never allow that to happen. The risk involved is far too great. Iran must now take concrete steps to abandon its nuclear program and any ambition to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran must stop manufacturing all drones and missiles.”
Regarding Tehran’s new leadership, he said: “It’s not clear how decisions are made in Iran, but our objectives have had nothing to do with the political leadership from the beginning. We don’t know who is governing at this moment, no one has seen the Supreme Leader, and the current situation is surrounded by great mystery.”
