October 9, 2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected Amnesty International’s accusations that the United States committed war crimes against Iran, and described the organization’s reports as a “hoax.”
Rubio called on the international organization to shift its focus towards “the Iranian regime that killed tens of thousands in cold blood in the streets of Tehran and various regions of the country,” accusing the Iranian authorities of storming hospitals to target wounded demonstrators inside their beds, as well as eliminating the medical personnel treating them, describing these practices as “war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
In another file, Rubio touched on the American military operations carried out through Portuguese territory, stressing that Washington is working in accordance with long-term strategic agreements with Lisbon and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and stressing the United States’ full commitment to the approved protocols and not violating the sovereignty of any country. He refused to reveal the details of the diplomatic talks with the Portuguese side, confining himself to confirming the existence of a mechanism regulating the American presence and the rules for its use in line with existing alliances.
It is noteworthy that, last March, Amnesty International called for accountability for those responsible for an American air strike that it described as “bloody and illegal” that targeted a school and resulted in the death of more than 100 children, considering that Washington had violated international humanitarian law by failing to take the necessary precautions to protect civilians.
