Speaking during a U.S. Senate hearing on Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded to a question on military movements near Iran. Rubio said Iran’s Supreme Leader would trigger deep uncertainty given the regime’s split between the clerical leadership, the IRGC, and weak civilian institutions—making any transition far more complex than in other cases, including Venezuela. He justified the U.S. military posture in the Middle East as defensive, noting American troops are within range of Iranian missiles and drones, and stressed Washington’s right to preemptively protect its forces and allies.