Rubio blames Iran’s Shia clerics and their ‘expansionist mentality’ for conflicts across Middle East

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has pinpointed Iran’s leadership as the common factor behind major conflicts across the Middle East, and said that “the Shia clerics of Iran and their expansionist mentality” are the reason for “every major problem” in the region. He called expansionist ambitions as an “extraordinary historic danger” that cannot be ignored.

Speaking at the 2026 National Lawyers Convention in Washington, DC, Rubio said that Iran is the “common denominator” between the Houthis in Yemen, Iraq’s Shia militias, supporters of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

“This is an extraordinary historic danger and one that cannot be ignored,” said Rubio.

Speaking at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention in Washington, Rubio pointed to the activities of the Houthis in Yemen, Shia militias in Iraq, forces that supported former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah in Lebanon as examples of Iran’s regional influence.

“Every problem in the Middle East, every major problem in the Middle East – the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia, the Shia militias that destabilize Iraq, the fighting elements that supported Assad and the destruction of Syria, Hizballah in Lebanon – everywhere you turn, there is one common denominator: the Shia clerics of Iran and their expansionist mentality,” Rubio said.

‘An extraordinary historic danger, one that cannot be ignored’

He said Iran’s influence was a threat that required attention, and added, “This is an extraordinary historic danger and one that cannot be ignored.”

The military conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which began on February 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, has since extended across the region, with military installations, shipping routes and energy infrastructure among the targets of attacks.

Tensions remained high on Sunday after Bahrain said its air defence systems had intercepted several Iranian aerial attacks, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued claims about its military operations.

Ghalibaf warns Washington against further ‘miscalculations’

Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Baqer Ghalibaf said on Sunday that Tehran will not accept a prolonged situation of “neither war nor peace” with Washington.

Addressing lawmakers, he said Iran was open to negotiations if the US accepted seven conditions set by Tehran.

“We do not care whether the US chooses the path of negotiations or war. If it accepts our seven reasonable conditions, the door to an agreement will be open,” Qalibaf said.

He also warned Washington against further miscalculations, saying Iran’s armed forces would determine the territorial limits of any future conflict.