On January 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States permits preventive military operations against Iran and will continue to build up forces in the Middle East.
“The President [Donald Trump] reserves the right to eliminate this Iranian threat in self-defense,” Rubio said. “We don’t see it coming, we don’t expect it, but it can happen.”
Rubio also warned that Iran may attack U.S. troops already stationed in the region and called for deploying a sufficient contingent at a basic level to counter threats. On the same day, President Donald Trump stated that the next U.S. military action against Iran would be more damaging to Tehran than strikes conducted in the summer of 2025, describing a “huge armada” moving toward Iran that surpasses the scale of previous forces sent to Venezuela’s shores.
The Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations reported on January 28 that Iran is prepared for dialogue with the United States but would defend itself and respond appropriately if necessary. The mission also noted that U.S. military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq resulted in more than 7,000 American fatalities and $7 trillion in losses.
