Rubio's Acropolis speech linking Persian Empire to US-Iran war draws backlash

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a speech at the Acropolis in Athens, invoked the Persian Empire's historical destruction of the site, a remark critics interpret as framing the current US-Iran conflict in civilizational terms. The comment has drawn sharp criticism from historians and officials, though its policy implications remain unclear. This rhetorical move may signal an escalation in official US narrative against Iran.