New Delhi, May 24 -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Iran during a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, accusing Tehran of sponsoring terrorism, backing proxy militant groups and destabilising regions across the world.

Rubio said that Iran has consistently supported violent organisations and invested heavily in proxy warfare instead of improving the lives of its own citizens. Rubio said, "On the other hand, Iran likes to sponsor proxy groups of terrorists. And these terrorists don't care what they blow up. They blow up anything and everyone. Okay, this is who we're dealing with."

Accusing Tehran of involvement in global terror attacks, he added, "This is an Iran that ...