According to a video from 01:42 posted on Al Jazeera on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran spent twenty years taking every penny it had to fund terrorist groups instead of helping its own people.
Rubio made the comment while answering questions from reporters at a press briefing on the sidelines of an Asian regional gathering, where he addressed the ongoing conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Rubio explained that Iran’s military setbacks in recent weeks stem from decisions made over two decades.
He said the country ignored basic development at home and instead poured its resources into missiles, drones, and proxy militias across the Middle East.
He pointed to groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and militias in Iraq as examples of where that money went, rather than toward the Iranian people, who he said are now facing runaway inflation and rising food costs.
In his words, Rubio said, “they’ve also spent 20 years taking every penny they have and not spending it on their country, they spent it on sponsoring terrorist groups and building up their missiles and their drone systems,” he said.
Rubio added that the strategy was designed to build what he called a conventional shield, one Iran hoped would let it pursue a nuclear weapon without consequence.
He said recent strikes have badly damaged that shield and left Iran more exposed than it has been in years.
Despite the tension, Rubio said Washington remains open to a negotiated settlement if Iran is willing to abandon its nuclear program and stop sponsoring terrorism.
He said the United States has tried to reach a diplomatic deal for a year and a half, but stressed that any future agreement must be judged on compliance, not promises….See More