Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US can see the bottom line in the Iran conflict

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that the US is nearing the “end” of its conflict with Iran, while warning that Tehran wants to be the next North Korea.

Rubio told “Hannity” on Tuesday that Iran was pursuing intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States and would have achieved those goals if President Donald Trump had not launched Operation Epic Fury.

“They intended to be the next North Korea, except that North Korea is ruled by a regime that is difficult and difficult to understand, but Iran is ruled by Shia clerics who are strong with intercontinental missiles that can reach the land of the United States in the end,” said the Secretary of State.

“That’s what they would have ended up with … if President Trump hadn’t taken the steps that he took.”

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Rubio accused the Iranian regime of misleading the public about its missile capabilities, saying officials are “in denial” that their missiles can reach London.

“[Abbas] Araghchi, their foreign minister, this guy is a liar,” he told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “This guy was on TV like last week – two weeks ago – denying that Iran had any missiles that could exceed a certain limit.“

Trump recently said the Iran conflict could last just a few weeks, as Operation Epic Fury approaches 33 days, with Rubio echoing that the end is near.

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“We can see the finish line. It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, but it’s coming,” Rubio said.

Rubio signaled progress in talks with Iran, noting that while Tehran remains defiant in public, its officials are more cooperative in private talks.

But he said President Trump will not be “imprisoned” like the Biden administration.

TRUMP SAYS MANY NATO COUNTRIES HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO JOIN IRAN’S BOYS.

President Donald Trump confirmed that the US launched strikes on Iran on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (White House via X account/Anadolu via Getty Images/Contributor/Getty Images)

“What President Trump will not allow that he will not allow fake negotiations to be used as a delaying tactic, to buy more time, to buy himself space,” Rubio explained.

According to reports, the Iranian leadership remains firm, as Pakistan announced on Sunday that it will host talks between the United States and Iran.

Rubio warned that if an agreement is not reached, the United States will not stop its military campaign.

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“We will not allow… the failure of negotiations to hinder our ability to protect this country and to protect this country from real danger,” he said.

Rubio said the Iranian regime is made up of people with destructive tendencies.

“This is a government led by people who believe it’s their calling and their purpose in life is to bring about the end of the world,” he told Fox News. “These people want nuclear weapons.“

Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a bilateral meeting with China’s Foreign Minister (not pictured) in Munich, February 13, 2026, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. (Alex Brandon/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

He also warned that the United States may reconsider its role in NATO if the conflict between the US and Iran ends, as the war raises questions about the importance of this alliance.

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“We will also check whether this alliance, which has served this country well for a long time, still serves that purpose or has become a one-way street, when America is in a position to protect Europe. But when we need the help of our partners, they will deny us basic rights.,” he told Fox News.

President Trump will address the nation on Wednesday at 9 pm ET to discuss the state of the US-Iran conflict.