U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators Tuesday that Iran’s nuclear talks may now include parts of Tehran’s program that it previously refused to discuss.
Rubio made the remarks during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, where lawmakers pressed the Trump administration on its Iran war strategy.
He said talks with Iran require intermediaries and differ from conventional diplomacy.
“Talks with Iran are not like talks with Switzerland,” Rubio said. He added that any progress would not guarantee a deal acceptable to Congress or the U.S. public.
Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran, saying they weakened Tehran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities. He said the campaign reduced what he called Iran’s conventional shield around its nuclear program.
Read: US-Iran Talks Stall As Tehran Blames Washington
The secretary said reopening the Strait of Hormuz remains central to any de-escalation. He said Iran must stop threatening commercial ships, help remove mines and declare the waterway open.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the committee’s top Democrat, accused the administration of avoiding congressional oversight. She said voters wanted economic relief at home, not regime change abroad.
Rubio is scheduled to face several House and Senate panels this week on Iran, Cuba, Venezuela and wider U.S. foreign policy.
