Washington, March 30
The United States expects to complete its military objectives against Iran "in a matter of weeks, not months," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, asserting that key targets, including Tehran's air force, navy and missile capabilities, are already being dismantled even as Washington tests a parallel diplomatic opening.
In a television interview on "Good Morning America", Rubio said the operation remains tightly focused on degrading Iran's military capacity and preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons.
"We are destroying Iran's navy. We are destroying their ability to launch missiles by a significant percentage," he said, adding that the United States aims to "wipe out their defence industrial base" to stop future production of missiles and drones.
Rubio reiterated that the objectives have been clear from the outset. "Number one, the destruction of their air force. Number two, the destruction of their navy. Number three: the severe reduction in their missile-launching capability. And number four, the destruction of their factory," he said.
"All of this so that they can never hide behind it to acquire a nuclear weapon," he added, stressing that progress is "on or ahead of schedule."
The remarks follow comments by President Donald Trump indicating that the United States could escalate strikes to include Iran's energy infrastructure if diplomatic efforts fail.
Rubio, however, underscored that diplomacy remains the preferred path. "The president... prefers diplomacy," he said, noting that "messages [are] being relayed back and forth, some conversations going on, including through intermediaries."
He suggested that internal divisions may be emerging within Iran's leadership. "There's some fractures going on there internally," Rubio said, adding that some figures are "saying some of the right things privately."
At the same time, he cautioned that any diplomatic breakthrough is uncertain. "We're gonna test that proposition very strongly... but we also have to be prepared for the fact that that effort might fail," he said.
On maritime security, Rubio rejected Iranian threats to control the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping lane. "That will never be allowed to happen," he said, warning that other countries have "more at stake there than we do."
He also accused Tehran of fuelling instability across the region. "Every single terrorist group in this region has a link to the Iranian regime," Rubio said, naming groups such as the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas.
Despite the sharp criticism, Rubio drew a distinction between Iran's leadership and its people. "The people of Iran are incredible people. The people who lead them... that is the problem," he said.
The latest escalation underscores a dual-track US approach combining sustained military pressure with tentative diplomatic outreach. The coming weeks are expected to be critical in determining whether backchannel talks can avert a broader conflict.
- IANS
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