Rubio: Iran 'never faced a president' like Trump

'No more impunity'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Tehran faces an unprecedented American leader in President Donald Trump, telling Fox News that previous administrations had allowed Iran to operate with impunity for decades. "I don't think the Iranian regime has ever faced a president like President Trump, which is someone that actually takes action," Rubio told the network.

He argued that Tehran had grown accustomed to exploiting international leniency. "They got used to, for 20 or 30 years, not just the US, but the broader world, allowing them to get away with things like lying, breaking deals, tricking people into agreements," he said, underscoring a sharp break from previous US policy.

Ukraine peace push

Rubio also addressed ongoing efforts to broker a settlement between Russia and Ukraine, telling Fox News that Washington would intensify diplomatic initiatives in the coming weeks. "You are going to see some efforts over the next few weeks to see if we can restart talks between the two sides and bring this war to an end," he stated.

However, the secretary noted that significant hurdles remain. "We also understand that both sides have some pretty strong red lines, and until we can bring those red lines a little closer together, we are not going to be there yet," he added, according to the network.

China 'catastrophe' warning

Regarding tensions with Beijing, Rubio warned that any conflict with China "be it economic or military, God forbid, would be catastrophic for both countries and for the world." He emphasized that Washington must navigate the rivalry without surrendering core national interests.

"We have to manage that, but we can't walk away and forfeit our national interests," Rubio said, describing the challenge as the "hard work" of American foreign policy. The secretary delivered his remarks during a Saturday evening interview from Washington.