Secretary Rubio speaking [AFP Yonhap News]

On March 9 (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the Iranian regime is holding the world hostage and that U.S. forces are achieving the objectives of their military operations against Iran with overwhelming force.

At the National Flag Raising Ceremony for American Hostages and Unjustly Detained Persons held at the State Department building in Washington D.C., Secretary Rubio criticized the Iranian regime's threats, stating, "They are trying to hold the world hostage and attacking their neighbors."

Secretary Rubio strongly condemned Iran as a terrorist regime, pointing out that energy infrastructure, civilians, and embassies in neighboring countries are consecutively targeted by Iranian attacks.

He asserted that the objective of the U.S. operation is to destroy Iran's terrorist capabilities, stating, "The objectives are being met daily with overwhelming force and precision."

Secretary Rubio also emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump is focusing not only on the return of hostages but also on stopping the exploitative structure targeting American hostages to extract political and diplomatic concessions.

The event was timed to coincide with the 19th anniversary of the disappearance of Robert Levinson, the longest-held American hostage, who went missing in Iran in 2007.

Levinson was an FBI special agent, and the FBI, in its subsequent investigation, has provisionally concluded that Levinson died while being held in Iran.

The event appears to have been organized to highlight the cruelty of the Iranian regime in holding Americans hostage amidst ongoing U.S. military operations against Iran, thereby underscoring the legitimacy of the operation to the American public.

FBI Deputy Director Christopher Wray and Levinson's children also attended the ceremony to honor Levinson. Deputy Director Wray introduced Levinson, born in 1948, noting that his 78th birthday would be the following day, March 10.

On February 27, shortly before launching attacks against Iran, Secretary Rubio designated Iran as a "State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention," stating that for decades, Iran has cruelly detained innocent Americans and citizens of other countries to use them as political leverage.