Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism that a solution to end the conflict in Iran was in the works, emphasizing that Tehran must significantly reduce its nuclear program before any sanctions are withdrawn.
WASHINGTON (United States) (AFP) Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced hope for an agreement to stop the conflict in Iran but emphasized the need for Tehran to significantly reduce its nuclear program before sanctions are withdrawn. There is a possibility before us that might happen today, tomorrow, or next week,” Rubio told a congressional committee.
Rubio was speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as the three-month US-Israeli assault on Iran seemed to have come to a halt, with the vital Strait of Hormuz still closed, disrupting global oil markets.
Rubio emphasized the need of reopening the shipping channel and limiting Iran’s nuclear activity for a successful peace accord and lifting sanctions.Iran is being sanctioned because it has highly enriched uranium; Iran is being sanctioned for its nuclear programs,” Rubio stated. “If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief.”
US President Donald Trump has often voiced optimism that a deal with Iran is imminent, but negotiations have stagnated. Although a truce has generally maintained since early April, Iranian and US soldiers have exchanged fire in recent days.
Rubio trying to minimize the fighting by claiming that it was essentially over. “Well, the war is over,” he declared.
Rubio acknowledged that the Iranians “still have a lot of drones,” but he supported the choice to go to war, claiming it has greatly diminished the Islamic republic’s capacity to cause harm.According to Rubio, Iran has lost a significant portion of its missile launchers, its fleet, and its defense industrial base.
He also stated: “And their economy is far worse today, and I mean, far worse today than it was six to nine months ago.”
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, is alive and becoming more active, according to Rubio. Khamenei was injured in US-Israeli assaults and hasn’t been seen in public since taking office.”I believe there are signs that he is becoming more involved on some level,” Rubio said to the panel.
The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei replaced his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed on February 28 during the initial round of US-Israeli bombings that sparked the conflict.
