Iran rejects Rubio's claims on regional instability Iran has rejected comments by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio blaming Tehran-backed armed groups for instability in the Middle East, arguing instead that US policy and Israeli military actions are driving conflict across the region. Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei responded in a post on X alongside a clip of Rubio criticising Iraq-based armed groups, as well as Hezbollah and Hamas. "No one will be fooled," Baghaei wrote.