Rubio says Iran trying to ‘hold the world hostage’, US ‘well on way’ to war goals

Marco Rubio

• US accuses Iran of threatening global security with strikes
• Rubio says US aims to destroy Iran's attack capabilities
• Iran retaliated after US and Israel strikes killed Khamenei

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Iran of attempting to “hold the world hostage” through its retaliatory strikes, while asserting that Washington remains on course to meet its military objectives in the ongoing conflict.

Speaking at an event at the US Department of State, Rubio criticised the Iranian leadership and said its actions were threatening both the region and the wider international community.

"I think we are all seeing right now the threat this clerical regime poses to the region and to the world. They are trying to hold the world hostage," Rubio said at an event at the State Department.

"They are attacking neighbouring countries, their energy infrastructure, their civilian population," he said, adding, "The objective of this mission is to destroy their ability to continue to do that, and we are well on our way to achieving that."

The United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. The strikes resulted in the killing of Iran’s longtime Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Following the attacks, Iran has carried out retaliatory strikes, firing missiles and drones at Israel as well as Gulf Arab monarchies that host key bases for US forces.

Rubio made the remarks while addressing an event dedicated to Americans who had been wrongfully detained or taken hostage abroad. Family members of Robert Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in 2007 while on the Iranian island of Kish Island, were also present.

The United States concluded in 2020 that the Iranian government was involved in Levinson’s presumed death.

Levinson had reportedly been investigating cigarette counterfeiting at the time of his disappearance. However, The Washington Post reported in 2013 that he had been working with the Central Intelligence Agency and had travelled to Iran on what was described as a rogue intelligence mission.

Levinson is "particularly a reminder of the nature of the regime that we're dealing with in Tehran," Rubio said.

"They were founded, unfortunately, on an assault on the brave men and women of our foreign and civil service," Rubio said, referring to the taking of hostages at the US embassy in Tehran by Islamic zealots after they toppled the US-aligned shah in 1979.