{
  "id": 10627408,
  "title": "Rubio says Iran would 'blackmail the world' if it had a nuclear weapon",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/rubio-says-iran-would-blackmail-the-world-if-it-had-a-nuclear-weapon",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T06:18:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/rubio-says-iran-would-blackmail-world-if-it-had-nuclear-weapon"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran, if it possessed a nuclear weapon, would utilize it to blackmail the world and to take lives. He explained that Iran could control the strategic Straits, impose tolls on maritime traffic, and determine who would receive energy resources and who would not. Rubio emphasized that this scenario would pose an unacceptable risk to global stability. Additionally, he accused Iran of misusing funds obtained through sanctions relief or economic gains to construct nuclear weapons and spread its revolutionary ideology, rather than focusing on improving the well-being of its own citizens. Rubio alleged that Iran redirects these resources towards supporting terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as financing Shia militias in Iraq. He further criticized Iran's leadership, asserting that the true power lies with radical Shia clerics who hold an apocalyptic worldview. These clerics believe that their religious duty is to hasten the end of the world, or the apocalypse.",
  "summary": "Rubio says Iran would 'blackmail the world' if it had a nuclear weapon US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that if Iran had a nuclear weapon, it would use it to \"blackmail the world and to kill people\". \"It would control the straits, charge a toll, and decide who got energy and who did not,\" Rubio said during an interview with Fox News, and added that this could present an \"unacceptable risk\".…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Times",
        "title": "US, Iran set to hold separate talks with mediators this week, official says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/us-iran-set-to-hold-separate-talks-with-mediators-this-week-official",
        "published": "2026-09-29T00:11:49.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Iran awaits US response via Qatari mediators by Tuesday, says Araghchi",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/iran-awaits-us-response-via-qatari-mediators-by-tuesday-says-araghchi",
        "published": "2026-09-29T00:26:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Jakarta Post",
        "title": "US, Iran separately talk with mediators in latest bid to end war",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/us-iran-separately-talk-with-mediators-in-latest-bid-to-end-war",
        "published": "2026-09-29T01:15:19.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Iran’s Araghchi meets Qatari mediators as US calls for nuclear talks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/irans-araghchi-meets-qatari-mediators-as-us-calls-for-nuclear-talks",
        "published": "2026-09-29T02:36:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Island Sri Lanka",
        "title": "Iran’s Araghchi meets Qatari mediators as US calls for nuclear talks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/irans-araghchi-meets-qatari-mediators-as-us-calls-for-nuclear-talks-10622516",
        "published": "2026-09-29T04:10:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SABC News",
        "title": "US, Iran separately talk with mediators in latest bid to end war",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/us-iran-separately-talk-with-mediators-in-latest-bid-to-end-war-10639759",
        "published": "2026-09-29T07:24:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}