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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declined to explicitly rule out whether Russia or China is providing targeting intelligence to Iran following a series of recent strikes on U.S. troops in the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, Rubio was asked directly about potential Russian and Chinese military intelligence sharing with Tehran.
“Look, all I would say is that anytime you’re in a combat zone like that, there’s danger associated with it,” Rubio said. “In the end, this actually proves the point that this is what Iran has been investing its money in for the last 20 years.”
When pressed specifically regarding whether Moscow has passed targeting data to Iranian forces, Rubio declined to elaborate on intelligence matters, while addressing Beijing’s actions separately.
“I’m not going to discuss that, other than to say that nothing China has done has in any way changed the trajectory of what you’re seeing in terms of the conflict we’re having with Iran,” Rubio said. “In fact, in some cases, they’ve actually been quite cooperative with regard to things they potentially could have done but didn’t do.”
Rubio added that Chinese officials remain opposed to disruptions along major maritime trade routes.
“I think the Chinese—and I’ll let them speak for themselves—are not big fans of what Iran is trying to do in the strait,” Rubio said. “They have publicly said they oppose tolling or any other restraint on freedom of navigation through the strait. We hope they’ll continue to say that. It’s important that other countries say that as well.”
The comments come amid ongoing military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, where commercial vessels have faced repeated attacks. Addresssing questions regarding the broader scope of the conflict and U.S. military strategy, Rubio stated that American military actions are focused on preserving maritime security and targeting launch sites.
“Commercial ships are trying to go through the Strait of Hormuz, and they’re being blown up,” Rubio said. “The United States is defending that shipping. We are also targeting the places launching attacks against those ships and continuing to degrade Iran’s ability to target and harm global shipping.”
Addressing Iran’s internal stability and economic status, Rubio pointed to domestic pressure building within the country despite government controls on media.
“Iran is in a lot of trouble,” Rubio said. “They obviously don’t have a free press that reports on the impact this is having. You guys report on the impact on the U.S. economy, gas prices and other things. They don’t have that in Iran. But I can tell you they’re facing hyperinflation, runaway inflation and high food costs. These problems were all preexisting, and they’ve all gotten worse.”
Rubio contended that Iran’s current actions stem from a long-term defense strategy focused on building up conventional missile and drone arsenals to deter international intervention.
“They spent 20 years taking every penny they had and not spending it on their country. They spent it sponsoring terrorist groups and building up their missiles and drone systems,” Rubio said. “What you’re now seeing them use—which has been greatly diminished—is exactly the conventional shield they intended to hide behind while pursuing a nuclear program.”
He added that left unchecked, Tehran’s weapons accumulation would have significantly altered regional security dynamics within the year.
“A year from now, Iran would have had so many missiles and drones that it would have been behind a conventional shield that gave it immunity to do whatever it wanted,” Rubio said. “Right now, however, what’s happening is pretty straightforward… That’s what’s happening here, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
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Rubio Declines To Rule Out Russian Or Chinese Intelligence Support For Iran
