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- Marco Rubio accuses Iran of fueling Middle East instability via proxies.
- Rubio stressed that Iran supports Hezbollah, Houthis, and Iraqi militias.
- He confirmed that diplomatic talks with Iran are ongoing despite issues.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday (local time) accused Iran of increasing instability across the Middle East by supporting militant groups and threatening regional security. Speaking after the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in Atlanta, Rubio also accused Iran of attacking commercial ships, including vessels carrying Indian sailors and transporting energy to different countries. However, he also asserted that diplomatic talks with Iran were still taking place.
Iran-Backed Groups Creating Problems
Rubio said Iran was supporting militant groups that were affecting peace and stability in several Middle Eastern countries. He said Lebanon was facing instability because Iran supports Hezbollah, while Saudi Arabia was under attack because of Iran’s support for the Houthis. He also said Iran-backed militias were challenging the government in Iraq. According to Rubio, these groups were threatening peace and security across the region.
"In Lebanon, there is instability because Iran supports Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia is under attack because Iran supports the Houthis. Iraq is facing challenges because Iranian-backed militias are challenging the state there. So, wherever you turn, what you find is an Iranian proxy undermining the peace and stability of the Middle East. That's a fundamental threat that we have to confront," Rubio said.
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Rubio Accuses Iran Of Attacking Commercial Ships
Rubio further accused Iran of targeting commercial ships, including vessels carrying Indian sailors and ships transporting energy to different countries. He said such attacks affected several countries and threatened international trade and energy supplies. Rubio also said it was concerning that Iran was openly threatening to blow up commercial ships.
"Iran is blowing up ships, including ships carrying, for example, Indian sailors, as well as ships transporting energy destined for countries represented at that table. We live in a world in which a country, or rather a regime, is openly saying, "We will blow up commercial ships." Think about that? Think about the world we now live in. It sounds like something from 100 or 80 years ago. But that's what's happening, and every country is affected," Rubio added.
#WATCH | On Iran, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, "Iran is blowing up ships, including ships carrying, for example, Indian sailors, as well as ships transporting energy destined for countries represented at that table. We live in a world in which a country, or rather a regime, is openly saying, "We will blow up commercial ships." Think about that? Think about the world we now live in. It sounds like something from 100 or 80 years ago. But that's what's happening, and every country is affected. As far as the talks are concerned, I don't know if there's a time frame. It's up to the President to make decisions regarding those sorts of things. There are multiple talks. Talks have actually never stopped. There have been active conversations, sometimes directly, but often through intermediaries. The President's preference in any challenge around the world is to try to resolve it diplomatically and peacefully, if possible. He recognises that there are some issues in the world that, unfortunately and sadly, cannot be resolved peacefully. But we would prefer to resolve them that way...But this is also a country and a regime that is at the centre of instability throughout the Middle East. In Lebanon, there is instability because Iran supports Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia is under attack because Iran supports the Houthis. Iraq is facing challenges because Iranian-backed militias are challenging the state there. So, wherever you turn, what you find is an Iranian proxy undermining the peace and stability of the Middle East. That's a fundamental threat that we have to confront. On top of the fact that they want nuclear weapons, this is a regime that has massacred its own people. You can only imagine what it would do to others if it possessed weapons of mass destruction, which will never be allowed to happen as long as President Trump is in the White House" (Video Source: Host via TV Reuters)
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2026
US Says Talks With Iran Are Continuing
On the possibility of talks with Iran, Rubio said discussions had not stopped and were continuing through direct conversations as well as intermediaries. He emphasised that US President Donald Trump preferred to resolve international disputes through diplomacy and peaceful means wherever possible. However, Rubio also accused the Iranian regime of harming its own people and seeking nuclear weapons.
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