US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that Iran may be showing greater willingness to engage in negotiations over its nuclear programme, even as tensions remain high following the recent US-Israel military campaign against the Islamic Republic.
Speaking before lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Rubio said there were signs that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has become increasingly involved in diplomatic discussions with the United States. According to Rubio, although Khamenei has remained out of public view, communications linked to him have reportedly been conducted through written messages and intermediaries.
Rubio suggested that Iran’s leadership structure has been under significant strain, making public appearances by senior figures less likely. Nevertheless, he said there were indications that the country’s top leadership was paying closer attention to the ongoing negotiations.
The Secretary of State also revealed that Iran had agreed to discuss certain aspects of its nuclear programme that it had previously refused to place on the negotiating table. He described this development as a potentially important breakthrough but cautioned that it did not guarantee a final agreement or an end to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
“There is the prospect before us that, for the first time in a long time, they are willing to negotiate issues they had previously declined to discuss,” Rubio told lawmakers, while emphasizing that significant differences remain.
Rubio’s testimony marked his first appearance before Congress since the outbreak of the Iran conflict. During the hearings, lawmakers questioned the administration’s diplomatic strategy and the prospects for achieving a lasting resolution to the crisis.
A major focus of Rubio’s remarks was Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime trade routes. He accused Tehran of acting unlawfully by threatening international shipping and warned that the United States would not allow Iran to gain exclusive access to the strategic waterway.
“What they are doing is unlawful and illegal,” Rubio said. “There isn’t a country on earth other than Iran that supports these actions in the straits.” He added that reopening the route to international traffic was a key condition for reducing tensions.
The Secretary of State further warned that if Iran attempted to block the passage of foreign vessels while allowing its own ships to operate freely, the United States would respond forcefully. “We can’t have a world in which only Iranian ships get through the straits,” he stated.
Defending the recent US-Israel military campaign, Rubio described the operation as a major success. Referring to Operation Epic Fury, he argued that the strikes had significantly weakened Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure and reduced its ability to project force across the region.
Rubio made one of his strongest claims when discussing Iran’s naval capabilities. He asserted that the country’s naval forces had been effectively eliminated during the conflict, stating that there was “no Iranian navy” remaining after the operation.
The comments are likely to intensify debate over the effectiveness of the military campaign and the future direction of diplomacy with Tehran. While Washington sees signs of progress in negotiations, officials continue to stress that a comprehensive agreement remains far from certain.
As talks continue behind the scenes, the international community will be closely watching whether Iran’s apparent willingness to discuss previously protected elements of its nuclear programme can translate into a broader diplomatic breakthrough and a reduction in regional tensions.
