On Saturday, November 14, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump during a speech he delivered yesterday, Friday, before the Federal Assembly, saying that the war had effectively ended from a military standpoint.
Marco Rubio said: "At this point, clearly, the economic damage we are inflicting on that regime is so severe that there is no need for further military action, because we have weakened them considerably. But I believe victory means ensuring that they never have nuclear weapons."
The U.S. secretary of state also acknowledged the economic damage suffered by American citizens as a result of the war, which has driven up fuel prices and affected all sectors of the global economy. He also noted that it would have been easier for Trump to ignore the risks posed by Iran's nuclear program and leave the issue for his successor, but he decided not to leave it unresolved.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Marco Rubio sharply criticized the "use of international law as a weapon" and attacked the International Criminal Court. He also warned against imposing laws that the United States does not recognize, while noting that international law has been used against most of the foreign-policy decisions of the Trump administration.
