Rubio says Iranian Navy is just ‘a bunch of Boston Whalers with machine guns’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Commitee that the destruction of Iran’s military has prevented the country from establishing a “conventional shield” that could protect its nuclear program in the future. He argued that without the earlier U.S.operation (“Operation Epic Fury”), Iran would likely have been able to field large numbers of missiles, drones, conventional weapons, and even a navy-making it harder for the U.S. to respond.
Rubio said Iran’s navy and conventional capabilities have been substantially degraded,with the vessels effectively ending up at the bottom of the ocean.During his testimony-his first as the operation began in late February-he said the trump administration is pushing for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen and for Iran to declare plans for disposing of its enriched uranium.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the destruction of Iran’s military has prevented the country from using a “conventional shield” to protect its nuclear program in the future.
Rubio suggested that if the United States had not launched Operation Epic Fury earlier this year, Iran would have produced “so many missiles, so many drones, so many conventional weapons, including a navy, that at that point there’s nothing you could do about it.”
Recommended Stories
“Today, there is no Iranian Navy,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “There is no such thing. There’s a bunch of Boston Whalers with machine guns on them, but there is no navy.”
“It lies at the bottom of the ocean and will soon, within a number of years, be prime fishing spots because they’ll turn into reefs,” Rubio said. “So, my whole point is that the Iranian conventional shield has been substantially eroded.”
WATCH LIVE: MARCO RUBIO TESTIFIES ON CAPITOL HILL DURING IRAN CEASEFIRE
This appearance before the committee was his first since Operation Epic Fury began in late February. Members of the committee grilled Rubio to explain the “indecipherable” goals of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Rubio said the Trump administration demands the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and for Tehran to announce its intentions to “dispose of [its] enriched uranium.”
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
