“As long as President Trump is in office,” Rubio said, “Iran’s leaders are not going to get a nuclear weapon.
By United with Israel Staff
The Trump administration is considering renewed military strikes against Iran in the coming weeks, while Washington seeks to cripple Tehran economically and force its leaders to choose between abandoning their revolutionary agenda or facing mounting pressure.
The White House has asked the Pentagon to develop options for strikes against Iranian targets that could be carried out before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, The Atlantic reported, citing two administration officials.
The size and targets of any potential strikes remain under discussion, and no final decision has been made. U.S. Central Command, which is coordinating the war effort, is developing the options, according to the report.
The planning comes after several weeks without U.S. strikes on Iran, raising expectations that President Donald Trump might seek to maintain the relative lull through the elections.
But administration officials told The Atlantic that Trump is eager to reduce gas prices and demonstrate progress in the conflict before voters head to the polls.
The report came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Greece, outlined the administration’s broader goals in its confrontation with Iran.
Speaking to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Rubio said the overriding objective remains preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“The ultimate goal is to not have a nuclear weapon,” Rubio said. “They should never have a nuclear arsenal.”
Rubio said Iran had sought to build up a massive arsenal of missiles and drones that could threaten U.S. forces and countries across the Middle East while providing cover for its nuclear program.
“Essentially, they were trying to create a conventional ‘shield’ behind which they could then develop their nuclear program,” he said.
Rubio said Trump responded by destroying much of Iran’s missile, drone and air capabilities, while Washington is now increasing economic pressure on the regime.
He said the Strait of Hormuz is open and oil traffic has recovered to roughly 80% of pre-conflict levels, while Iran itself is facing mounting pressure as its available oil supplies for export dry up.
Within weeks, Rubio predicted, Iran would face “the most devastating economic disaster in the history of modern Iran.”
He said Tehran would then face a fundamental choice: “Do they want to be a state or do they want to be a revolution?”
Rubio stressed that the U.S. campaign was not launched with the goal of regime change, but said Iran must change its behavior, including ending its support for terrorist organizations.
He accused Tehran of using oil revenues to fund Hezbollah, Hamas and Shiite militias in Iraq while building missiles and drones rather than investing in its own country.
“They are the primary funder of terrorism worldwide, and every dollar they get is used for that purpose,” Rubio said.
While the White House weighs another round of military action, Rubio made clear that preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon remains non-negotiable.
“As long as President Trump is in office,” he said, Iran’s leaders “are not going to get a nuclear weapon.”
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