Mehr News analysis says Rubio remarks signal US shift to civilizational framing against Iran

An analysis published by Mehr News examined remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Acropolis in Athens, in which he referred to the Persian king Xerxes' expedition to Greece in 480 BC and alleged that the city's holy sites were set ablaze and its temples looted. The report said the comments are significant for several reasons and offered a point-by-point assessment.

First, the analysis said the remarks come as US President Trump faces pressure over his confrontation with Iran. It argued that Washington is seeking to reframe the nature of its confrontation with Iran, casting military aggression as part of a broader clash of civilizations, and that this provides an ideological justification for pro-war factions within the United States. The report described such rhetoric as reflecting anxiety rather than confidence.

Second, the analysis argued that the United States cannot impose dominance over other nations by invoking civilizational claims, stating that civilizations are built on historical legacies, culture, identity and social capacities rather than military might or political maneuvering. It cited Iran, China and Egypt as examples of civilizations with deep historical roots, and said Iran has articulated a civilizational horizon through the concept of a New Islamic Civilization. The report added that attacking Iran's civilization and historical identity may backfire by strengthening national cohesion among Iranians, since that identity transcends day-to-day political disputes.

Third, the analysis said that by invoking a historical event from centuries ago, US officials attempt to portray Iran as inherently warmongering while ignoring America's own record. It noted that the United States has existed for roughly 250 years since independence in 1776 and has engaged in numerous wars, citing former President Jimmy Carter's remark that the country had been at war for 233 of those years. The report referred to early conflicts with Native Americans, in which it said approximately ten million indigenous people were killed, and to later conflicts with Britain, Mexico and Spain, as well as the Korean War, the Vietnam War and military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. It argued that war and military intervention have been a significant component of US foreign policy aimed at maintaining global power and hegemony, and that current US officials openly speak of war, the destruction of Iran and the termination of its existence.

Fourth, the report said Rubio likely intends by the Xerxes reference to rally European countries to Washington's side in the current confrontation with Iran, elevating the dispute beyond a bilateral issue. It added, however, that Europe is unlikely to automatically adopt Washington's approach, as European policymakers have their own calculations. While some observers characterize the tensions as a conventional state-to-state dispute best addressed through negotiation, the analysis said Rubio's rhetoric indicates the conflict transcends mere politics and is rooted in a specific American civilizational and ideological perspective toward Iran.

Fifth, the analysis said the US push to compel Iran's submission stems from this worldview, with Washington perceiving Iranian civilization as possessing capacities that could in the future challenge American hegemony. It argued that part of US policy is directed toward weakening the Iranian-Islamic civilization and the Iranian state, and that when a civilization is targeted, national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity are inevitably placed under threat. The report concluded that elites and decision-makers should not dismiss Rubio's remarks or assume that deep differences between the two nations can be resolved merely through negotiations, flexibility or concessions, and that understanding the depth of the rift is essential to safeguarding the nation's independence and national interests. According to Mehr News, the analysis was published under the initials MNA.