{"id":2582701,"date":"2026-03-22T23:46:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T03:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-very-close-to-being-able-to-strike-major-european-cities-rutte\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T23:47:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T03:47:37","slug":"iran-very-close-to-being-able-to-strike-major-european-cities-rutte","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-very-close-to-being-able-to-strike-major-european-cities-rutte\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran &#8216;very close&#8217; to being able to strike major European cities: Rutte"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Firan-very-close-to-being-able-to-strike-major-european-cities-rutte%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2582701&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Iran is \u201cvrey close\u201d to being able to strike major European cities with missiles,a claim tied to Iran\u2019s recent attack on Diego Garcia. Iran reportedly launched two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chinas-nuclear-threat-against-japan-hybrid-warfare-and-the-end-of-minimum-deterrence\/\" title=\"China\u2019s Nuclear Threat Against Japan: Hybrid Warfare And The End Of Minimum Deterrence\">intermediate-range ballistic missiles<\/a> at Diego Garcia, though they did not hit the island, raising questions about Tehran\u2019s missile range. Rutte said Europe could possibly reach cities like Berlin, Paris, and Rome if Iran\u2019s capability is confirmed, and that Europe is still assessing the Diego garcia strike. Attention has shifted to securing the Strait of Hormuz, with 22 countries signaling willingness to help reopen the waterway and NATO allies showing growing, if cautious, alignment on a coalition. President Trump has threatened to \u201cobliterate\u201d Iran\u2019s power plants if Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours,a move that could escalate tensions and strain European support.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Iran &lsquo;very close&rsquo; to being able to strike major European cities, NATO chief warns<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2538703\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>NATO Secretary General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-rutte\" type=\"link\" id=\"washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mark-rutte\">Mark Rutte<\/a> has assessed that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\" type=\"link\" id=\"washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\">Iran<\/a> is &ldquo;very close&rdquo; to reaching <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/europe\" type=\"link\" id=\"washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/europe\">European<\/a> cities with its missiles, a statement that comes after the regime&rsquo;s surprising attack on Diego Garcia island last week.<\/p>\n<p>Iran <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4499483\/iran-missile-launch-diego-garcia\/\">launched<\/a> two intermediate-range ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia on Friday. While both did not hit the island, the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >strike raised concerns<\/a> that Iran&rsquo;s missile range is potentially far greater than was previously thought, given Diego Garcia is well over 2,000 miles away from Iran.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4499972\/pahlavi-trump-threat-iran-power-plants\/\">Pahlavi pleads with Trump to back off threat against Iran&#8217;s power plants<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4499936\/cuba-military-preparing-us-attack\/\">Cuban military &#8216;preparing&#8217; for US aggression, deputy foreign minister says<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4499897\/nuclear-war-iran-ambitions-iaea-grossi\/\">Only nuclear war can destroy Iran&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cia-dir-nominee-u-s-must-prevent-iran-from-developing-nuclear-weapons\/\" title=\"CIA Dir. Nominee: U.S. must prevent ... from developing nuclear weapons\">nuclear ambitions<\/a>, IAEA chief says<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;What we know for sure is that they are very close to having that capability,&rdquo; Rutte <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mark-rutte-nato-secretary-general-face-the-nation-transcript-03-22-2026\/\">said<\/a> on Sunday when asked by <em>Face the Nation<\/em> host Margaret Brennan whether Iran could hit cities like Berlin, Paris, and Rome.<\/p>\n<p>The NATO chief added that Europe is &ldquo;still assessing&rdquo; the Diego Garcia strike, but if it&rsquo;s &ldquo;true&rdquo; it means Iran can already reach those cities.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And that is exactly why I feel in Europe, that most politicians, it resonates with them what the president is doing here, which is taking out &mdash; degrading Iran&rsquo;s capability to be, again, an exporter of chaos, sheer chaos to the region, to the world,&rdquo; Rutte said.<\/p>\n<p>While that threat is still being assessed, Rutte is also looking closer to the immediate region for the war, specifically the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, he has been trying to shore up support for President Donald Trump&rsquo;s coalition effort to secure the strait, which has been under a de facto blockade from Iran.<\/p>\n<p>That effort has seen very tepid backing, though 22 countries have signed onto a statement expressing their willingness to help reopen the key waterway.<\/p>\n<p>Rutte projected confidence on Sunday that Europe will be behind it, saying NATO countries are &ldquo;coming together&rdquo; on the coalition.<\/p>\n<p>But Trump also appears poised to take matters into his own hands.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4499972\/pahlavi-trump-threat-iran-power-plants\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4499972\/pahlavi-trump-threat-iran-power-plants\/\">PAHLAVI URGES TRUMP TO BACK OFF THREAT AGAINST IRAN&rsquo;S POWER PLANTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Saturday night, he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4499762\/trump-iran-power-plants-strait-of-hormuz-closure\/\">threatened<\/a> to &ldquo;obliterate&rdquo; Iran&rsquo;s power plants if it did not reopen Hormuz in 48 hours. Barring any action before then, that deadline would expire at around 8 p.m. Eastern time on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>If it occurs, such a strike would amount to a serious escalation and would push some European allies further away from getting involved in the hostilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Iran close to striking major European cities<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3359,"featured_media":2582702,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rutte-iran-diego-garcia.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[8447,32404,3823,7443,64043],"class_list":["post-2582701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-europe","tag-geopolitics","tag-iran","tag-missiles","tag-rutte"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rutte-iran-diego-garcia.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2582701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3359"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2582701"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2582701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2582705,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2582701\/revisions\/2582705"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2582702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2582701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2582701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2582701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}