US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media on the day of a briefing for Congressional leaders on the situation in Iran, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, March 2, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sharply criticized the "Israel First" policy of the United States, asserting that the lives of both American and Iranian citizens are being sacrificed to serve the interests of the Zionist regime.

The remarks were made in response to recent statements by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which Araghchi said confirm that Washington has entered a "war of choice" on behalf of Israel.

In a statement posted on social media, Araghchi rejected the longstanding US narrative of Iran`s threat to the United States.

"Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: the US has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel," the Foreign Minister wrote.

"There was never any so-called Iranian ‘threat`. The shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on the ‘Israel Firsters`. The American people deserve better and should take back their country," he added.

Rubio acknowledged to reporters ahead of a meeting with a small group of congressional leaders on Monday that the United States launched attacks on Iran only after learning that Israel intended to strike first.

Rubio argued that the US feared Tehran would retaliate against American forces following the planned Israeli aggression.

"We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces," Rubio stated, defending the decision to join the Israeli strikes as a measure to prevent "higher casualties."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the US can produce only 6 to 7 interceptors per month, while Iran can produce more than 100 missiles and thousands of suicide drones.

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When pressed on whether Iran posed an "imminent threat", the legal threshold required for the US Executive to bypass a Congressional declaration of war, Rubio admitted the threat was contingent on the Israeli plan.

"The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us," Rubio said.

`Worst possible thing`

The Secretary`s justification has sparked significant criticism within the United States, with some lawmakers suggesting that Israel is dictating US military engagement.

Representative Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, expressed outrage over the admission, noting that Rubio`s comments indicate that Israel "put US forces in harm`s way by insisting on an attack on Iran."

"This is unacceptable of the President, and unacceptable of a country that calls itself our ally," Castro wrote on X.

Conservative pundit Matt Walsh wrote: `So he`s flat out telling us that we`re in a war with Iran because Israel forced our hand. This is basically the worst possible thing he could have said.`

Iran has launched massive waves of missile and drone attacks against Israeli-occupied territories and American interests in West Asia in retaliation for the unprovoked acts of aggression that began with the assassination of the late Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Saturday morning.

The US military has admitted six deaths among American soldiers in Iranian retaliatory strikes so far.

Iran`s Red Crescent Society reports that at least 555 Iranians have been killed in US-Israeli attacks to date.