Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran passed several chances to reach a nuclear agreement, as broader Washington-Tehran negotiations remained deadlocked.
Rubio said Wednesday, during a visit to Greece, “Iran has failed to take advantage of multiple opportunities to reach agreement with us on nuclear program,” CNBC reported.
The nuclear dispute remains central to ceasefire efforts, with Washington seeking restrictions on Iran’s enrichment capabilities as part of any broader agreement.
Vance Demands Iran Curb Enrichment
Vice President JD Vance said that Iran would need to make a “meaningful” reduction in its uranium-enrichment capacity, rather than merely promise future limits. Vance questioned Iran’s need for 60% uranium enrichment if its nuclear program is peaceful, urging Tehran to take meaningful steps to limit enrichment capacity.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Washington’s “requests and ideas” for Tehran to curb uranium enrichment are “at odds” with Iran’s demands.
Iran Faces Pressure Over Nuclear Deal
In September, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board referred Iran to the United Nations Security Council for “non-compliance” with nuclear obligations, in a first-ever move in 20 years, reported BBC. The resolution cited missing information about Iran’s nuclear material, including its highly enriched uranium stockpile, and limited access for IAEA inspectors to nuclear facilities.
Later that month, President Donald Trump said Iran wants to make a deal, but not one acceptable to him, arguing that Tehran “overplayed their hand.” While the White House described talks as “positive and constructive” and said Iran has shown flexibility on nuclear issues, the sides remain divided over sequencing. Iran wants sanctions relief and access to frozen assets first, while the Trump administration demands concrete nuclear concessions before an agreement.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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