Iran willing to negotiate ‘aspects’ of nuclear programme, Rubio says amid escalating scrutiny over war

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday told lawmakers that Iran had agreed to begin limited negotiations over its nuclear programme, marking what he described as a tentative but meaningful shift in Tehran’s posture as the United States-led conflict continues to destabilise the Middle East. Rubio said that Iran had also indicated interest in discussing parts of its nuclear programme that it had previously refused to engage on, but he cautioned that this did not ensure the negotiations would produce a deal to end the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. “They have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear programme that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention,” Rubio said. But he added that it’s “not a guarantee that ultimately it will lead to a deal that’s acceptable” by Congress. He said these negotiations had been made difficult by the instability of Iran’s leadership. He also stated that the Trump administration had not proposed sanctions relief in exchange for Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that any easing of sanctions would depend on Tehran meeting conditions tied to its nuclear programme. US officials have also indicated that discussions remain preliminary and highly conditional, with major unresolved issues tied to sanctions relief, nuclear enrichment limits, and regional security guarantees. Despite the fragile diplomatic opening, lawmakers remain sceptical that any durable agreement is within reach as fighting continues and ceasefire arrangements remain under strain. Rubio’s comments came as he appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the first time since the outbreak of the Iran war, in a hearing dominated by questions over military escalation, diplomatic breakdowns, and the administration’s broader Middle East strategy. At the hearing, lawmakers questioned the administration for the first time since the start of the conflict, amid a faltering ceasefire and renewed uncertainty over di