Former Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie stated during a recent broadcast that the United States must “finish this militarily” with Iran, arguing that Tehran represents not only a regional threat but also a key strategic ally for China and Russia.
“Oh, I think that we have to finish this militarily,” Wilkie said when asked whether the conflict with Iran should resume through military action.
Wilkie framed Iran as part of a broader geopolitical challenge involving China’s influence in the Middle East and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“This is also a bigger issue than Iran,” Wilkie said. “Because this is China’s foothold in the Middle East. It’s also the conduit for Chinese and Iranian weapons going into Russia to kill Ukrainians.”
Wilkie argued that a military defeat for Iran would significantly weaken Beijing’s global ambitions and send a warning to Chinese leaders about U.S. and allied military capabilities.
“So this would be a tremendous blow to China’s world ambitions,” he said.
Wilkie also referenced a recent visit by the Chinese president to the region and noted that Israel’s military actions demonstrated the vulnerability of advanced Chinese-made defense systems.
“I think this was in his mind when the president came to visit,” Wilkie said. “The United States and Israel blew through the most sophisticated Chinese weapons systems in about 30 minutes, rendered them — just turned them into ashes.”
He said that display of military force could influence China’s future actions in Asia, particularly regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea.
“And that has to be in their minds when they think about further adventurism in the South China Sea or against Taiwan,” Wilkie added.
Wilkie, who served as secretary of Veterans Affairs during President Donald Trump’s first administration, has been a vocal supporter of a more aggressive U.S. posture toward Iran, China, and other adversaries.
His remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and growing concerns among U.S. officials over the expanding military and economic cooperation between China, Iran, and Russia.
China has strengthened ties with Tehran in recent years through trade and energy agreements, while Western officials have accused Iran of supplying drones and other military equipment used by Russia in Ukraine. Tehran has denied directly providing weapons for use in the conflict.
