Iran retaliation would be 'worst mistake' ever made, warns US secretary of state

ISTANBUL

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran on Sunday that retaliating against American forces would be the "worst mistake" it could ever make.

They are completely vulnerable. They don't control their own airspace; they can't protect their own airspace. They can't even protect their own leaders," Rubio told Fox News following devastating US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Rubio claimed that the US's goal in the region is not war. “We're not looking for war in Iran, but if they attack us, then I think we have capabilities they haven't even seen yet,” he said.

In a separate interview with CBS, Rubio reiterated Washington's determination to protect its personnel in the region. “We'll impose costs on Iran if they attack American personnel, whether they do it directly or whether they do it through some of these proxies that they try to hide behind,” he said.

The US targeted Iran’s nuclear sites with six bunker-buster bombs dropped on the Fordo facility with B-2 stealth bombers, along with dozens of submarine-launched cruise missile strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities.

Rubio said Iran should "wake up" and pursue legitimate nuclear energy development over weapons programs.

"If what they want is a country that has a nuclear energy program, they can have that in many countries around the world," said Rubio.

He said Washington's nuclear offer remains on the table and that they are "prepared to talk to them tomorrow and start working on that."

When asked about Iran's potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said: “It will be another terrible mistake.”

He said that this would be “economic suicide” for Iran and called on the Chinese government to contact Tehran on this issue.

Iran's Parliament agreed to close the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, waiting for a final decision from the Supreme National Security Council, Major General Esmaeil Kowsari, a member of the parliament’s National Security Commission, said.

Nuclear capabilities dismantled

Rubio claimed that Iran possessed "everything" needed for nuclear weapons, including enrichment capability, highly enriched uranium sufficient for "nine to 10 bombs," weapons design, and delivery systems.

"All they have to do is spend a couple of days enriching it from 60 to 90%," he said, suggesting the only countries in the world that have nearly 60% enriched uranium are countries that have nuclear weapons.

The secretary of state also dismissed Iran's claimed space program as a cover for developing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching America.

"Iran's not going to the moon," Rubio said, explaining the program aims to develop long-range rockets.

Following US strikes using bunker-buster bombs and cruise missiles against Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities, Rubio said Iran no longer has nuclear weapons infrastructure in place.

"They had it all in place. Now not so much," he said.