US State Secretary Marco Rubio blames Iran’s ‘expansionist mentality’ for conflicts across Middle East

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused Iran’s leadership of being a common factor behind major conflicts across the Middle East, describing its regional ambitions as an “extraordinary historic danger” that cannot be ignored.Speaking at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention in Washington on Friday, Rubio pointed to the activities of the Houthis in Yemen, Shia militias in Iraq, forces that supported former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah in Lebanon as examples of Iran’s regional influence.“Every problem in the Middle East, every major problem in the Middle East – the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabia, the Shia militias that destabilize Iraq, the fighting elements that supported Assad and the destruction of Syria, Hizballah in Lebanon – everywhere you turn, there is one common denominator: the Shia clerics of Iran and their expansionist mentality,” Rubio said.He described Iran’s influence as a threat that required attention, adding: “This is an extraordinary historic danger and one that cannot be ignored.”Rubio’s remarks come amid an expanding confrontation involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which began on February 28 with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. The conflict has since extended across the region, with military installations, shipping routes and energy infrastructure among the targets of attacks.Tensions remained high on Sunday after Bahrain said its air defence systems had intercepted several Iranian aerial…