WASHINGTON D.C (VINnews)-Secretary of State Marco Rubio forcefully defended U.S. military strikes on Iran, declaring that a regime led by “radical Shia clerics with an apocalyptic vision” must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons or shield its ambitions behind a massive arsenal of missiles and drones.

In remarks that quickly drew attention for their bluntness, Rubio explained why the Trump administration chose to act now against Tehran’s conventional capabilities.

“Under no circumstances can a country run by radical Shia clerics with an apocalyptic vision of the future ever possess nuclear weapons, and under no circumstances can they be allowed to hide and protect that program and their ambitions behind a shield of missiles and drones that no one can do anything about,” Rubio said.

Addressing Americans questioning the timing of the operation, Rubio laid out Iran’s dual-track strategy: advancing its nuclear program in fortified mountain facilities while rapidly expanding its missile and drone forces.

“Iran wants to have nuclear weapons… they build their reactors and their facilities deep in mountains, away from the public glare, and they want to enrich that material,” he said.

The secretary warned that Iran was on the verge of creating an effective “conventional shield” — a stockpile of missiles and drones so large that future strikes on its nuclear sites would become prohibitively risky.

“We were on the verge of an Iran that had so many missiles and so many drones, that no one could do anything about their nuclear weapons program in the future. That was an intolerable risk,” Rubio stated.

He described the current U.S. operation as “our last best chance” to eliminate that shield before it became impenetrable.

“This was our last best chance to eliminate that conventional threat, that conventional shield that they were trying to build, and the president made the right decision to wipe it out now,” Rubio said.

The goal, he emphasized, is to destroy Iran’s ability to produce and deploy ballistic missiles and attack drones, stripping the regime of the deterrent that would allow it to pursue nuclear weapons without fear of intervention.

“That is the goal of this operation, to destroy their conventional missiles and their drone program so they can’t hide behind it, and finally have to deal with a world seriously about never ever having nuclear weapons,” Rubio added.

The comments come amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iranian targets, part of a broader campaign that officials say aims to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear arms and curb its regional aggression. Rubio has repeatedly distinguished between the Iranian people, whom he has called “incredible,” and the regime’s leadership.