Washington, March 30 — The United States expects to complete its military objectives against Iran “in a matter of weeks, not months,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, asserting that key Iranian military capabilities are being dismantled while Washington simultaneously tests a diplomatic opening.
In an interview on Good Morning America, Rubio said the operation is tightly focused on degrading Iran’s ability to wage war and preventing it from acquiring a nuclear weapon. “We are destroying Iran’s navy. We are destroying their ability to launch missiles by a significant percentage,” he said, adding that the U.S. aims to “wipe out their defence industrial base” to halt future production of missiles and drones.
Rubio outlined four clear goals: “Number one, the destruction of their air force. Number two, the destruction of their navy. Number three: the severe reduction in their missile-launching capability. And number four, the destruction of their factory,” he said, stressing that all actions are intended so Iran “can never hide behind it to acquire a nuclear weapon.” He described progress as “on or ahead of schedule.”
The comments follow President Donald Trump’s warning that strikes could expand to Iran’s energy infrastructure if diplomacy fails. Rubio nevertheless emphasized that diplomacy remains the preferred route. “The president… prefers diplomacy,” he said, noting that messages are being exchanged and some conversations are occurring through intermediaries.
Rubio suggested signs of internal divisions within Iran’s leadership, saying “there’s some fractures going on there internally” and that some figures are “saying some of the right things privately.” He cautioned, however, that any diplomatic breakthrough is uncertain: “We’re gonna test that proposition very strongly… but we also have to be prepared for the fact that that effort might fail.”
On maritime security, Rubio rejected Iranian threats to control the Strait of Hormuz, declaring “that will never be allowed to happen.” He accused Tehran of fueling regional instability, claiming “every single terrorist group in this region has a link to the Iranian regime,” and named groups including the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas. He drew a distinction between Iran’s leadership and its people, saying the Iranian people are “incredible” while blaming their leaders.
The remarks underscore a dual-track U.S. approach of sustained military pressure paired with tentative diplomatic outreach, with the coming weeks expected to be critical in determining whether backchannel talks can avert a wider conflict.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/us-to-finish-iran-fight-in-weeks-marco-rubio
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Publish Date: 2026-03-30 19:54:00
