US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday that the United States now perceives the “finish line” in the ongoing war with Iran. As the conflict enters its fifth week, Rubio also warned that Washington must reexamine its longstanding ties with NATO once the fighting concludes.
“We can see the finish line. It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, but it is coming,” Rubio told Fox News Channel’s “Hannity” show during a televised interview.
The war began on 28 February when the US and Israel launched a joint military strike against Iranian targets. Tehran responded immediately by initiating its own attacks against Israel and various Gulf states that currently host US military bases.
Since then, joint US-Israeli strikes in Iran and additional Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions of civilians. Furthermore, the conflict has destabilized global energy markets and caused oil prices to surge significantly across the world.
Potential for Direct Negotiations
Despite the violence, Rubio confirmed that active communication channels remain open between the two adversarial nations. He suggested that high-level officials from both sides might hold a “direct meeting at some point” to discuss a resolution.
“There are messages being exchanged, there are talks going on. There is the potential for direct meeting at some point,” Rubio stated.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump offered his own timeline for the military operations on Tuesday. Although he previously suggested various objectives, ranging from toppling the Iranian government to weakening its regional influence, he now claims the US could end its military strikes within two to three weeks.
A Turning Point for NATO Relations
Rubio emphasized that no international government is currently providing enough aid to Iran to impede the American military mission. However, he expressed deep frustration with European allies who have refused to participate directly in the military campaign.
The Secretary of State noted that Washington will likely reevaluate its relationship with NATO after the war ends. He specifically cited the refusal of certain allies to grant the US basing rights or overflight permissions during the current crisis.
“Ultimately, that’s a decision for the president to make, and he’ll have to make it,” Rubio explained. “But I do think, unfortunately, we are going to have to reexamine whether or not this alliance that has served this country well for a while is still serving that purpose.”
Rubio concluded by questioning if the alliance has become a “one-way street” where America defends Europe but receives no support in return. Consequently, the future of transatlantic security cooperation remains uncertain as the war in the Middle East approaches its final phase.
