In his interview with Al Jazeera, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stressed that Iran can “never acquire nuclear weapons” and it must cease “sponsoring terrorism and manufacturing weapons that threaten its neighbours”.

“The short-range missiles launched by the Iranians have only one purpose: to attack Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain,” he has said.

“The Iranian regime wants to possess nuclear weapons to threaten and blackmail the world, but we will never allow that to happen. The danger it poses is far too great.”

Rubio has emphasised that Iran must take concrete steps toward abandoning its nuclear programme and any ambition to possess nuclear weapons, alongside halting the production of missiles and drones.