Rubio Says Iran Must Follow Through on Agreed Terms During Middle East Visit

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Abu Dhabi on June 23 to brief Gulf allies on recent Iran negotiations and gather their input on regional security matters.

When asked about conflicting statements from Iranian officials regarding International Atomic Energy Agency inspections, Rubio said the U.S. understood what Iran agreed to in preliminary talks. "We know what they agreed to do, and now they'll either do it or they won't," Rubio said. "If they do, the process moves forward. If they don't, the President will have some decisions to make."

Rubio characterized the talks as a preliminary framework, not a final agreement. "This is an issue that's been going on for 47 years," he said. "The idea that somehow it's going to get solved in a day and a half, I don't think anyone's been selling that."

On the question of investment in Iranian reconstruction, Rubio said any such funds would come from private sources, not U.S. government money. He tied potential investment opportunities to Iranian leadership decisions about the country's future conduct. "If Iran makes a decision that they want to be a country instead of a revolutionary movement that exports terror, they're going to have an opportunity to do incredible things in Iran," Rubio said, though he cautioned: "I'm not promising you that that's the choice they're going to make."

Rubio said he planned to listen more than speak during the visit. "We're really here to hear from them more than we are to talk," he said, referring to discussions expected to address regional military activities, economic concerns, and the recent weekend negotiations in Switzerland.

On separate Lebanese-Israeli talks occurring in Washington, Rubio said those negotiations should remain distinct from Iran discussions. Lebanon is a sovereign nation negotiating directly with the U.S. government, he said, though he acknowledged that Iran's support for Hezbollah would feature in separate conversations with Iranian officials.

Rubio addressed concerns about regional missile and drone activity, saying the preliminary memorandum of understanding covers such issues indirectly. A complete end to regional hostilities cannot occur while Iranian proxies operate, he argued. "You can't have the end of hostilities and conflicts in the region as long as Iranian proxies are launching missiles and drones from Iraq," he said.

On freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio cited existing international law prohibiting tolls or fees on international waterways. "That's the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that's the way we expect it'll be here," he said.

Rubio described the United Arab Emirates as a strong partner with the United States, citing their cooperation over the previous six months alongside longer-standing ties spanning more than a decade.