Tensions between Iran and the US: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran remains a “very serious threat” to the United States, citing both its nuclear ambitions and extensive missile and naval capabilities.
“Iran poses a very serious threat to the United States and has for a very long time…” Rubio said on Wednesday (local time).
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First and foremost, after their nuclear program was wiped out, they were told not to try to restart it, and here they are, Rubio says in a video shared by Russia Today.
“You can see them always trying to rebuild elements of it. They’re not enriching right now, but they’re trying to get to the point where they eventually can,” Rubio said, speaking to reporters during a trip to St. Kitts and Nevis, a twin-island nation in the Caribbean Sea.
Rubio’s remarks come hours before US and Iranian officials are due to meet in Geneva on Thursday for a third round of indirect talks, as US President Donald Trump threatens to strike Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached.
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The discussions come at a time of the largest US military build-up in the Middle East since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and Iran vowing to respond with force. The talks are seen as a last-ditch effort to avert conflict, but the chances of an agreement remain unclear.
“The other thing I would point out is that Iran has a very large number of ballistic missiles, especially short-range ballistic missiles, that threaten the United States and our bases in the region and our partners in the region and all our bases in the UAE and Qatar and Bahrain,” Rubio said.
While Trump said he preferred to resolve the crisis through diplomacy, he also said he was considering a limited strike on Iran to get its leaders to accept the deal, according to the BBC.
“And they also have naval assets that threaten shipping and try to threaten the U.S. Navy. So I want everyone to understand that. And in addition to the nuclear program, they have these conventional weapons that are designed solely to attack America and Americans if they choose to,” Rubio said.
Iran rejected US demands
Iran rejected the US demand to stop enriching uranium on its territory. But there have been signs that it is prepared to offer some concessions on its nuclear program.
Iran will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the planned talks in Geneva, while the US will be represented by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The US has sent thousands of troops and what Trump described as an “army” to the region in recent weeks, including two aircraft carriers along with other warships, as well as fighter jets and refueling planes.
President Trump first threatened to bomb Iran in January amid anti-government protests, killing thousands in the Islamic country. Since then, however, his attention has turned to Iran’s nuclear program, which is at the center of a long-standing dispute with the West.
Iran is a very serious threat to the United States and has been for a very long time.
In his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, Trump briefly mentioned tensions with Iran. The president said Iran was working to build missiles that could “soon” hit the US.
Trump also accused Iran of trying to “start over” its nuclear weapons program after last year’s attacks. Trump said he could not allow the “world’s number one sponsor of terror” to have a nuclear weapon.
Key things
- The US military buildup in the Middle East suggests rising tensions and potential conflict.
- Iran’s missile capabilities pose a direct threat to US interests in the region.
- The upcoming talks in Geneva represent a crucial opportunity for diplomacy amid escalating threats.
