Rubio says US has not sought to arm Iranian civilians

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington has not pursued any efforts to arm Iranian civilians in an attempt to encourage regime change amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Rubio made the remarks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, responding to questions from Senator Ted Cruz, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Cruz directly asked whether the option of arming civilians in Iran had been considered. Rubio responded:

"I'm not aware of any program to arm civilians in Iran to overthrow their government. I mean there may be other countries doing it or other elements, but certainly not the U.S. government."

He further stated that Washington has not seen evidence suggesting China is providing Tehran with military assistance that could significantly alter the trajectory of the conflict.

During the appearance before the Senate, he told lawmakers that Iran must end what he described as its “belligerence” in the region.

At the same time, he acknowledged that Iran possesses some military equipment of Chinese origin, but said it does not have a decisive impact on the current balance of power in the conflict.

By Sabina Mammadli