US Secretary of State Marco Rubio lost his composure during a press briefing in Rome on Friday after a reporter pressed him on whether the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran could still be considered intact, given that American and Iranian forces had exchanged fire just the day before in the Strait of Hormuz.
The confrontation followed a tense 24 hours in which three US Navy destroyers crossing the strait cameunder firefrom Iranian missiles and drones, prompting American forces to launch what the Pentagon described as self-defence strikes. With reporters already on edge over the fragility of the truce, the briefing quickly turned combative.
Rubio opened by drawing a firm line between the naval exchange and the broader ceasefire agreement. 'What you saw yesterday was US destroyers moving through international waters, being fired upon by the Iranians, and the US responded defensively to protect itself,' Rubio told reporters, adding that the incident was 'separate and distinct from Operation Epic Fury.'
He went further, challenging what he saw as the absurdity of expecting American forces to absorb the attack without response. 'If you fire a drone or a missile at our destroyer, what are we supposed to do, let it hit? We have to respond to it. We have to knock down the missile, and we have to knock out whatever it is that launched that missile. The alternative is to let it sink one of our ships. That's crazy,'he said.
When a reporter countered that there was 'not much ceasing in the firing,' Rubio redirected sharply. 'Well, you should ask that of the Iranians,' he shot back. 'Don't ask me — we didn't fire, they fired on us.'
The exchange reached its sharpest point when Rubio turned directly on the premise being put to him. 'That's a stupid question. That's a stupid position to take,' he said, before adding: 'Only stupid countries don't shoot back when you're shot at, and we're not a stupid country.'
Despite the heated tone, Rubio maintained that the ceasefire itself had not collapsed. 'No, no, the ceasefire is going. It's in effect,' he told reporters, while also confirming that Washington was still awaiting a formal response from Tehran on a diplomatic proposal. 'We're expecting a response from them today, at some point. We have not received that yet... I hope it's a serious offer. I really do,'he said.
🇺🇸🇮🇷 RUBIO: Only stupid countries don’t shoot back when you’re shot at. And we’re not a stupid county.Did he forget that the U.S. STARTED this war?pic.twitter.com/aaYabVDzj2
Rubio was not the only senior official to clash with the press that week over Iran. President Donald Trump called a question from ABC News correspondentRachel Scott'stupid' after she asked about the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation project amid the conflict with Iran and rising petrol prices.
The exchange took place near the Lincoln Memorial, where Trump was highlighting plans for his Washington makeover. When Scott asked why he was focused on beautification projects during the conflict, Trump responded: 'Such a stupid question that you asked,' before adding, 'This is one of the worst reporters.'
Source: International Business Times UK
