U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the primary objective of the United States is to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
“Our mission is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and their ability to produce them, as well as the threat their navy poses to global maritime shipping. That is the objective,” Rubio told reporters.
He added that while regime change is not the stated military goal, the U.S. would welcome political change in Iran if it were to occur internally.
“It would not sadden us, it would not break our hearts, and we hope the Iranian people can overthrow this government and create a new future for that country. We would like that to be possible,” he said.
However, Rubio reiterated that the mission’s official focus remains:
- Destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities
- Disrupting its ability to manufacture those missiles
- Neutralizing naval threats to international maritime trade
The remarks come amid escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, with military operations targeting strategic Iranian assets.
