TEHRAN — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is once again making inflammatory claims about Iran in an apparent attempt to divert attention from Washington’s own record of aggression and bloodshed.
In an interview with Fox News, Rubio claimed that a nuclear-armed Iran would “blackmail the world and kill people.” He portrayed a hypothetical scenario in which Tehran could disrupt maritime trade, impose tolls and cut off energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Rubio went further, claiming that Iran is led by officials with an “apocalyptic vision” who seek to bring about the end of the world.
Such claims are intended to portray Iran as a threat to global security, but they overlook the reality of US military actions and policies in the region. While Rubio speaks of hypothetical threats Iran might pose in the future, the United States and Israel have already inflicted death and destruction on the Iranian people.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a massive military assault against Iran. The attack resulted in the deaths of thousands of Iranian citizens. While Rubio warns about what Iran might do in a hypothetical scenario, US-made weapons have already been used in attacks that killed civilians inside Iran.
Among the most shocking incidents was the direct strike on a school in Minab, along with attacks on civilian areas in Lamerd. International observers and human rights organizations have raised serious concerns over the legality of such attacks and described some of them as possible war crimes. Striking a school filled with children cannot be justified as an act of self-defense, yet Rubio and other US officials continue to focus on alleged future threats from Iran while avoiding scrutiny of Washington’s own military actions.
It is particularly striking for a US official to accuse Iran of “blackmail” and violence. For decades, Washington has used economic sanctions, military pressure and political intervention against countries that challenge its policies. Iran has itself been subjected to extensive US sanctions intended to exert pressure on its economy and government. Washington has also pursued aggressive measures against governments it opposes, including Venezuela, where the United States abducted President Nicolás Maduro.
The US role in the Gaza war has further undermined Washington’s claims to be defending human rights. The US government has continued to provide Israel with weapons, financial support, and diplomatic backing despite the enormous civilian death toll in Gaza. Against this backdrop, Rubio’s warnings about the protection of human life ring hollow to Iran and many others across the world.
Rubio’s claims about the Strait of Hormuz also overlook Iran’s longstanding role in the security of the Persian Gulf and the strategic waterway. Iran has repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining regional stability and protecting its sovereignty in the face of US military deployments, Israeli threats and sanctions.
Iran’s stated position is not about seeking an “apocalypse,” as Rubio alleges, but about defending its sovereignty, national interests and right to pursue an independent foreign policy free from foreign coercion.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: tehrantimes.com
