US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Congress that Iran has agreed to negotiate aspects of its nuclear programme that it had refused to discuss a month ago, even as Tehran announced it was ending peace talks and moving to fully close the Strait of Hormuz.
Appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Rubio repeated the Trump administration's assertion that a nuclear deal is within reach. He claimed that Iran had agreed to negotiate elements of its nuclear programme that it had previously rejected, adding that a deal could be reached 'today, tomorrow, or next week'.
Rubio also stated that Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader after the latter was killed in US-Israeli strikes in February, is alive and increasingly involved in the regime's efforts. On the military front, Rubio said Iran's missile programme had been 'substantially degraded', its launcher capacity reduced, and its drone-building capability 'eroded'. He claimed there is 'no Iranian navy' as it 'lies at the bottom of the ocean'.
However, these claims have been contested. The New York Times reported in May that Iran retained roughly 70% of its prewar missile stockpile, though analysts noted significant damage to Iran's ability to replace them, with over 85% of its ballistic missile, drone and naval defence industrial base damaged or destroyed.
Rubio outlined a two-phase framework for negotiations. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran removing mines and committing not to fire on ships, is a precondition for talks. Phase two would require Iran to dispose of its highly enriched uranium stockpile and negotiate severe limitations on enrichment activity. He ruled out sanctions relief simply for reopening the strait, stating that any relief is tied to Iran's nuclear programme.
