Rubio says US not begging for a deal with Iran

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday that Iran has signaled a willingness to negotiate elements of its nuclear program that weren’t previously on the table, as US President Donald Trump denied talks had been cut off. “They have agreed to negotiate aspects of their nuclear program that just a month ago, just a year ago, they were refusing to even mention,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, without elaborating. Rubio also rejected Democratic Senator Cory Booker's charge that Washington was “begging” to return to a deal with Iran that it trashed in 2018, arguing that Tehran’s battered economy, navy, missile launchers and defense industry had left it under growing pressure, and no one is now "begging" for an agreement with Tehran.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday rejected Democratic Senator Cory Booker's charge that Washington was “begging” to return to a deal with Iran that it trashed in 2018, arguing that Tehran’s battered economy, navy, missile launchers and defense industry had left it… pic.twitter.com/yOlcZui4oQ

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) June 2, 2026

Rubio also insisted that any sanctions relief would depend on Iran making concessions on its nuclear program. He said that Tehran must agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping channel for Gulf oil and gas.Rubio’s testimony, which covered a range of topics in addition to the Iran conflict, was met with fierce objections from Democrats. Senator Chris Van Hollen, of Maryland, lashed out at the US and Israeli decision to strike Iran, accusing the Republican president of entering the war on behalf of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “said he’s been waiting 40 years to do this,” Van Hollen said. “It turns out he finally found a president who was both stupid and reckless enough to join him. Let’s face it, Mr. Secretary, the Trump foreign policy has become a dumpster fire.”