‘Anachronism’: Rubio’s civilisational rhetoric prompts pushback from Iran

What the report says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has drawn criticism in Iran after a speech in Athens that cast the United States as the heir to ancient Western civilisation and framed modern geopolitical conflict in civilisational terms. According to Al Jazeera, Rubio referred to the Persian sack of Athens, contrasted it with Athens’ recovery, and described current threats to the West as comparable to those of antiquity. He also used harsh language for Iran’s leaders, which intensified backlash in Tehran.

Iranian officials and state media responded quickly. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei accused Rubio of distorting history to justify pressure on Iran, while security chief Mohsen Rezaei and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf invoked the ancient Persian capture of Roman Emperor Valerian to warn against historical boasting. Culture Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri urged Western politicians to speak about Iran with respect, describing it as a long-standing civilisation rather than a political target.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of continued US-Iran conflict, including ongoing US naval pressure and disrupted shipping linked to the Strait of Hormuz, as described by Al Jazeera. The article notes that many Iranians reacted negatively online, though some diaspora voices argued Rubio was criticising the Islamic Republic rather than Iranian civilisation itself. Analysts quoted by Al Jazeera said the rhetoric may also be aimed at rallying Western unity around Iran as a common adversary.