Tehran: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on Tuesday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio allegedly "admitted" Washington's involvement in "a war of choice" against Tehran, purportedly "on behalf of Israel."

According to Anadolu Agency, Araghchi made these comments on the US-based social media platform X, amidst the ongoing US-Israeli military offensive against Iran that commenced on Saturday. The foreign minister asserted that there was "never" any Iranian threat and accused both American and Iranian casualties of being the result of actions by "Israel Firsters."

Araghchi called on American citizens to reclaim control of their country, emphasizing that they "deserve better." The offensive has prompted criticism from Democrats towards President Donald Trump's administration, as reported by The New York Times. On Sunday, President Trump urged Iranian citizens, via a video on his Truth Social platform, to "seize this moment" and reclaim their country.

Since the beginning of the joint US-Israeli strikes, several senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have been reported killed. In retaliation, Tehran has launched drone and missile attacks targeting US-linked sites in Gulf countries, resulting in the deaths of six US service members and leaving several others seriously wounded.

The Iranian Red Crescent reports that the death toll from the ongoing US and Israeli airstrikes has risen to 555 since the offensive began on Saturday.