Rubio Declares Iran War Over, Sets U.S. Redlines for Regime Talks
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress the Iran war is over and outlined non-negotiable demands including reopening the Strait of Hormuz and surrendering enriched uranium before sanctions are lifted.
The demands include the complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the handover of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, and stringent long-term constraints on the regime’s nuclear program before Washington would even consider lifting sanctions.
In his first public testimony before Congress since Operation Epic Fury was launched in February, Rubio argued that the administration’s military and economic pressure campaign has substantially degraded the Islamic Republic and forced Tehran to negotiate on nuclear program elements it previously refused to discuss.
Rubio told lawmakers that for the first time in recent memory, Iran has agreed to discuss aspects of its nuclear program that it would not even mention a month or a year ago. He said an agreement could materialize at any time, though he offered no specific timeline.
The current negotiating phase focuses on compelling Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and commit to follow-on discussions regarding its nuclear infrastructure and highly enriched uranium reserves, the secretary of state explained. He made clear that the administration will not provide upfront sanctions relief merely for reopening the strategic waterway.
Iran must publicly declare the straits are open without charging a toll, assist in removing mines it placed in the waterway, and refrain from firing on ships, Rubio said. Tehran must also agree to talks on severe and long-term limitations and cancellation of enrichment activity.
Rubio emphasized that sanctions relief would only follow verifiable Iranian actions on its nuclear program, drawing a sharp distinction from the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
The JCPOA would have expired this year and allowed Iran to retain all the enrichment equipment it needed, Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The Trump administration’s approach differs fundamentally from that framework.
Iran has already enriched nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium to 60 percent purity, just below weapons-grade levels, as Breitbart News reports. Rubio argued that any future agreement must address both Tehran’s enrichment infrastructure and its existing stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The secretary of state noted that Tehran’s fragmented leadership structure and use of intermediaries have complicated negotiations. Responses from the regime can sometimes require days as messages move through internal channels and approval councils.
Rubio also pointed to growing signs that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since reportedly being wounded during the opening phase of the conflict, is becoming more directly involved in negotiations. All of his communications have been in writing and through intermediaries, Rubio said, adding that Iranian officials are probably using couriers and similar methods.
The remarks came as President Donald Trump rejected Iranian media reports claiming negotiations between Washington and Tehran had stalled following renewed Israeli operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.
Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday that fake news reports claiming the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous. The conversations between the two countries have been ongoing continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today, the president said.
Trump added that no one knows where the talks will lead, but told Iran that it is time, one way or another, to make a deal. The regime has been pursuing this course for 47 years, and it cannot be allowed to continue any longer, he said.
IRGC-affiliated outlets Tasnim and Fars had earlier claimed Tehran suspended indirect communications with the United States over Israel’s escalating operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.
Rubio maintained that the administration remains optimistic negotiations can still yield a broader agreement. He expressed hope that an arrangement could emerge in which the straits would reopen and both sides would enter into a period of negotiations.
With information from Breitbart News
