WASHINGTON / WASHINGTON / MANAMA — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Friday that additional military action against Iran is unnecessary because ongoing economic sanctions have severely weakened the Islamic Republic.
Speaking before the Federalist Society, Rubio echoed remarks made earlier in the week by U.S. President Donald Trump, who declared that the military conflict is “effectively over.”
”And right now, frankly, the economic pain that we are inflicting on that regime is so great that there’s no need for military action because we’ve weakened them so much,” Rubio said. “But I think victory is ensuring that they never have a nuclear weapon.”
Rubio also acknowledged the economic difficulties faced by Americans, noting that the war has increased fuel prices and impacted global economic sectors. He defended the decision to confront Iran’s nuclear program rather than deferring the threat to future administrations, despite the associated hardships.
”It’s not easy and it’s difficult. And oftentimes it inflicts, you know, pain, economic pain and otherwise. So we recognize that,” he added.
Meanwhile, tensions persisted in the Persian Gulf region as the U.S. military reported shooting down two Iranian attack drones targeting Bahrain.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed the interception and disputed claims from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that a U.S. early warning radar system in the kingdom had been successfully struck. CENTCOM reported no injuries or structural damage.
According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the Revolutionary Guard asserted that its drone operation retaliated against a prior U.S. strike targeting a telecommunications structure in Sirik, an Iranian southern port city. The incident marks Iran’s initial reported action directed at a facility in Bahrain since September.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Information has not yet issued a statement regarding the event. Additionally, Iranian authorities reported that an oil tanker encountered a naval mine while transiting the Strait of Hormuz.