Tillerson: Rubio Criticism of Administration's Syria Position 'Regrettable'

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refuted GOP Sen. Marco Rubio's criticism of his past remarks on Syria president Bashar al-Assad as "regrettable."

In an interview aired Sunday on CBS News' "Face The Nation," Tillerson took aim at a radio interview Rubio gave to "AM Tampa Bay," in which the Florida senator said it was no coincidence there was a chemical bombing in Syria after Tillerson suggested Assad could remain in power.

"I think that's a regrettable comment on the part of Senator Rubio," Tillerson told "Face The Nation."

Rubio's reference was to Tillerson's remarks at a news conference that "the longer-term status of President Assad will be decided by the Syrian people," The Hill reported.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that a few days later we see this," Rubio said in his radio interview, referring to the deadly chemical bombing.

Tillerson, however, asserted the chemical bombing attack was "not the first" by Assad.

"As you well know, there were two similar attacks in March. March the 25th, March the 30th in Hama," he said. "So this was yet another instance of Bashar al-Assad's continued violation of the chemical weapons agreements."

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