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Rubio Calls Amnesty International a Fraud Over Iran War Criticism

At a cabinet meeting on July 31, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed criticism from Amnesty International over alleged American war crimes in the Iran conflict. Rubio called the human‑rights group a fraud and urged it to focus instead on abuses he said the Iranian regime was committing against its own citizens. He accused the Iranian government of targeting wounded protesters inside hospitals, murdering patients and medical staff, and labeled those actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity. The remarks followed a question about U.S. military operations at Portugal’s Lajes Air Base, where refueling aircraft, fighter jets and drones were reportedly deployed. Rubio said Washington follows longstanding agreements with Portugal and other NATO allies, and that it never violates a host nation’s sovereignty. He defended the strategic value of NATO, noting the alliance allows the United States to project power in crises and maintain a presence in Europe. Rubio praised Portugal as a great ally while emphasizing that U.S. military cooperation there is governed by established protocols and agreements.

· jpost.com

The essential points

  1. 01Rubio labeled Amnesty International a fraud and demanded it focus on Iranian regime abuses.
  2. 02He accused Iran of murdering wounded protesters and medical staff inside hospitals, calling it war crimes.
  3. 03Rubio defended U.S. use of Portugal’s Lajes Air Base, citing longstanding NATO agreements and respect for sovereignty.
  4. 04He praised Portugal as a great ally while stressing that U.S. military cooperation follows established protocols.
The full brief

At a cabinet meeting on July 31, 2026, U. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed criticism from Amnesty International over alleged American war crimes in the Iran conflict. Rubio called the human‑rights group a fraud and urged it to focus instead on abuses he said the Iranian regime was committing against its own citizens. He accused the Iranian government of targeting wounded protesters inside hospitals, murdering patients and medical staff, and labeled those actions as war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The remarks followed a question about U. S. military operations at Portugal’s Lajes Air Base, where refueling aircraft, fighter jets and drones were reportedly deployed. Rubio said Washington follows longstanding agreements with Portugal and other NATO allies, and that it never violates a host nation’s sovereignty. He defended the strategic value of NATO, noting the alliance allows the United States to project power in crises and maintain a presence in Europe.

Rubio praised Portugal as a great ally while emphasizing that U. S. military cooperation there is governed by established protocols and agreements.