‘We are not involved’: Trump administration seeks to distance US from Iran-Israel tensions
Israel attacks Iran: Just a day before the attacks, reports of Washington pulling out embassy staff and military dependents from parts of the Middle East had emerged.
- Jun 13, 2025,
- Updated Jun 13, 2025 10:30 AM IST
US President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to distance itself from the Iran-Israel tensions following Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear targets. The attacks are likely to complicate Trump’s attempt at a nuclear deal with Tehran.
US Secretary of State and national security adviser, Marco Rubio, said Washington was not involved in this. "We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence," he said. Rubio stressed that Israel's strikes were unilateral and that the US had known that the attacks would occur.
Just a day before the attacks, reports of Washington pulling out embassy staff and military dependents from parts of the Middle East had emerged. Trump had warned that the Middle East could be a “dangerous place”. “We have given notice to move out. They can't have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can't have a nuclear weapon. We're not going to allow that,” he said.
Hours before the strikes too Trump had urged a diplomatic solution to the tensions while acknowledging that the strikes on Iran could “very well happen”. Rubio had meanwhile, warned Iran that it should not target US personnel. "Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel," he had said.
It still remains unclear if the US would support Israel if Iran strikes back.
Israel said it had struck Iranian nuclear targets to prevent Tehran from developing atomic weapons. This comes as the Trump administration prepared for a sixth round of talks on Sunday regarding Iran's increasing uranium enrichment activities. Iran maintains its nuclear energy programme is for peaceful purposes only. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared on Thursday that Iran breached its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile, Trump has also shown growing disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Iran and the handling of Israel's war in Gaza. Trump aims to reach a deal with Tehran and speed up food aid delivery to Gaza.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to distance itself from the Iran-Israel tensions following Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear targets. The attacks are likely to complicate Trump’s attempt at a nuclear deal with Tehran.
US Secretary of State and national security adviser, Marco Rubio, said Washington was not involved in this. "We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence," he said. Rubio stressed that Israel's strikes were unilateral and that the US had known that the attacks would occur.
Just a day before the attacks, reports of Washington pulling out embassy staff and military dependents from parts of the Middle East had emerged. Trump had warned that the Middle East could be a “dangerous place”. “We have given notice to move out. They can't have a nuclear weapon. Very simple. They can't have a nuclear weapon. We're not going to allow that,” he said.
Hours before the strikes too Trump had urged a diplomatic solution to the tensions while acknowledging that the strikes on Iran could “very well happen”. Rubio had meanwhile, warned Iran that it should not target US personnel. "Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel," he had said.
It still remains unclear if the US would support Israel if Iran strikes back.
Israel said it had struck Iranian nuclear targets to prevent Tehran from developing atomic weapons. This comes as the Trump administration prepared for a sixth round of talks on Sunday regarding Iran's increasing uranium enrichment activities. Iran maintains its nuclear energy programme is for peaceful purposes only. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency declared on Thursday that Iran breached its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in nearly 20 years.
Meanwhile, Trump has also shown growing disagreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Iran and the handling of Israel's war in Gaza. Trump aims to reach a deal with Tehran and speed up food aid delivery to Gaza.