USS Lincoln Arrives in Arabian Sea as Rubio Issues Final Warning to Baghdad
As a historic US carrier strike group enters strike range and Iran’s death toll from a brutal massacre tops 36,000, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issues a final warning to Baghdad: Purge Iranian influence or face the consequences of being a US foe.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a stern warning to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani during a phone call late Sunday, emphasizing that any Iraqi government under Iranian control would undermine the country's own priorities and regional stability.
The discussion comes amid Baghdad's efforts to position itself as a mediator between Washington and Tehran to avert further escalation in the Middle East, as the US continues a historic military buildup in the region.
In the call, Rubio stressed that "a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq's own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq."
He cautioned that excessive Iranian influence in Iraq's power structures could transform the nation into a US adversary, hindering its potential as a stabilizing force in the Middle East.
The conversation also touched on diplomatic efforts to repatriate foreign nationals held in Iraq for prosecution, with Rubio praising Iraq's initiative to transfer ISIS terrorists from detention facilities in northeastern Syria to secure custody amid recent instability.
This exchange occurs against a backdrop of heightened US-Iran tensions, including the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which has now reached strike range of Iran after transiting the Strait of Malacca and entering the US Central Command's area of responsibility.
The Nimitz-class supercarrier, accompanied by destroyers, cruisers, and advanced aircraft like F-35C stealth fighters, was redirected from Southeast Asia operations under orders from President Donald Trump to bolster US presence amid nuclear and regional threats from Iran.
Reports indicate the carrier group includes cruise missile-armed vessels and is part of a larger armada, with US Air Force B-52 bombers also repositioned to bases in Qatar and Jordan.
Allies including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and the United Kingdom have reportedly informed the US of their willingness to support any potential military action against Iran, following harrowing reports of atrocities emerging over the weekend.
According to Iran International, an opposition outlet, the updated death toll in Iran, focused on the night of January 8-9, 2026, stands at over 36,500, marking the deadliest massacre in modern Iranian history, occurring within a 48-hour period during a brutal crackdown on nationwide protests.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have described the killings as a "state-orchestrated massacre" and called for global action to end impunity, noting it as the largest civilian slaughter during street protests in a two-day span on record.
As diplomatic evacuations begin for US personnel in the region, the risk of broader conflict looms large.