US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington could see the “finish line” in the Iran war, which is now in its fifth week, and the US will have to reexamine ties with NATO after the conflict.

“We can see the ​finish line. It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, but it is coming,” Rubio told Fox ​News Channel’s “Hannity” show.

The war began on February 28 when the US and Israel attacked ⁠Iran.

Tehran responded by launching its own attacks on Israel and Gulf states with US bases.

Joint ​US-Israeli strikes in Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.

The war has ​also raised oil prices and shaken global markets.

Rubio said messages were being exchanged between Iran and the US, and there is potential for a “direct meeting at some point” between the two sides.

“Messages are being ​exchanged, talks are going on. There is the potential for a direct meeting at some point,” Rubio ​said.

President Donald Trump - who has offered shifting timelines and objectives for the war, ranging from toppling Iran’s government to weakening its ‌military ⁠and regional influence - said on Tuesday the US could end its military attacks on Iran within two to three weeks.

Rubio said, “that there’s nothing any government is doing, or any country in the world is doing now to help Iran that is in any way impeding our mission.”

He added Washington will have ​to reexamine its relations ​with NATO after the ⁠Iran war.

“Ultimately, that’s a decision for the president to make, and he’ll have to make it,” Rubio said.

“But I do think, unfortunately, we are going ​to have to reexamine whether or not this alliance that has served ​this country well ⁠for a while is still serving that purpose, or has it now become a one-way street where America is simply in a position to defend Europe, but when we need the help of our allies, ⁠they’re going ​to deny us basing rights, and they’re going to deny ​us overflight,” he added in reference to use of military bases.

European leaders have refused to get directly involved in military attacks ​against Iran.