Rubio issues a threat to countries that help Iran "evade sanctions."

The U.S. will impose coercive measures on any nation that decides to collaborate with Iran to "evade the sanctions" Washington has authorized against Tehran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Wednesday.

"No country should be helping Iran evade sanctions. No country should be out there helping them create mechanisms to generate revenue that they will then use to sponsor terrorism and attempt to build a nuclear weapon," he said.

In an interview with Brian Kilmeade, a well-known Fox News host, Rubio issued the threat: "If countries decide to do that, then we will have to sanction them as well," he declared.

However, he expressed confidence in the actions of the Republican administration. "Nothing being provided to Iran is in any way hindering our ability to act as necessary to protect the U.S.," he maintained.

He acknowledged that the "primary means" of countering Iran is weakening its economy, but he defended the "right" to take military action. "And as long as they keep trying or saying they want [a nuclear weapon], they will pay a price for it. And that price will be primarily economic," he added.