Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, confirmed the position of Trump negotiator Steven Witkoff that Iran was on the brink of developing a nuclear weapon.
Commenting on the current U.S-led war on the Iranian regime, Rutte acknowledged, “NATO is not itself involved, but let’s be absolutely clear-eyed to what’s happening here: Iran is close to getting its hands on a nuclear capability and a ballistic missile capability, which is both a threat to not only the region, the Middle East, including posing an existential threat to Israel, but it is also posing a new threat to us here in Europe.”
NATO's Rutte on Iran:
Iran is close to getting its hand on a nuclear capability and on a ballistic missile capability. pic.twitter.com/UF7YAgEy5Y
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 3, 2026
“The fact that Khamenei is now gone, who is responsible for only this year, thousands, potentially 10,000 of people dying because of the Iranian regime,” he stated. “And people were starting to protest against the regime in January. We have seen all that. So I think we are all better off with him gone and with the nuclear and ballistic capability being beaten and degraded as it is, as we speak. I was on the phone with many leaders over the weekend and also early this week, and I clearly sensed that taking out nuclear capability, taking out the ballistic missile capability, and also Khamenei, this is applauded by many of my colleagues in NATO.”
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomes the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei during a visit to North Macedonia pic.twitter.com/YoGgSgoqVr
— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 3, 2026
Speaking on “Fox & Friends,” Rutte noted, “First of all, say that my thoughts are with the service members, the U. S. service members who made the ultimate sacrifice over the last couple of days. And let me also say that the commander-in-chief, the leader of the free world, President Donald J. Trump, I really commend what is happening here, taking out Khamenei, taking out the nuclear capability in Iran, but also taking out the ballistic missile program in Iran. This is crucial.”
“And what I see in Europe — I spoke with all the key European leaders over the weekend — is widespread support for what the president is doing and also making sure that, when it comes to logistics, access, defending key U. S. interests in Europe and in the region, the Europeans are really stepping up.”
.@SecGenNATO Mark Rutte: "I really commend what is happening here. Taking out Khamenei… but also taking out the ballistic missile program in Iran… I spoke with all the key European leaders over the weekend. [There's] widespread support for the president's doing." pic.twitter.com/qHsNoSIpjK
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 2, 2026
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