US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is increasingly engaged at some level and that Iran retains a large number of drones despite its "conventional shield" being substantially eroded by US-Israeli strikes.
He added that US President Donald Trump's negotiating team has not offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and insisted that any sanctions relief was tied to Tehran giving up its nuclear program.
"Right now, everything that's been discussed with them (Iran) is that… any sanctions relief is condition-based, which means it has to be in return for the reason why those sanctions were put in place in the first place, which is their nuclear program," Rubio told a Senate hearing.
"Iran is being sanctioned because they've highly enriched uranium. Iran is being sanctioned because of their nuclear activities," he continued. "If they agree to give up those things, there will be sanctions relief associated with their commitment and compliance with those agreements."
In addition, Rubio said that Iran had agreed to negotiate aspects of its nuclear program that it previously refused to discuss, noting that the development was not a guarantee that talks would lead to a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Rubio was a senator from Florida until January 2025, and lawmakers said they hoped their former colleague would spell out a strategy for ending the Iran conflict, which started with strikes by the US and Israel on February 28.
Rubio has joined other top administration officials in speaking to members of Congress about the Iran war behind closed doors, but has not testified publicly about the conflict.
Democratic senator criticizes Rubio
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, blasted Rubio for failing to provide Congress with information about the administration's plans.
"When I talk to my constituents, they ask for economic relief at home, not regime change in Havana or Caracas or Tehran," she said.
"Instead, you sent Congress a war powers notification saying we are not in active hostilities with Iran, while the US was conducting strikes against Iran, and Iran was bombing US embassies and bases throughout the Middle East. That was not consultation, it was an attempt to avoid answering to this committee and this Congress about this war."
Americans have voiced mounting frustration over rising prices, and Trump's fellow Republicans hope he can get the Strait of Hormuz reopened and lower US gasoline prices before the November elections that will decide whether the party retains its slim majorities in Congress.
Trump must also contend with Iran hawks in his party who oppose any concessions to Tehran.
Trump and his supporters insist the war would have been worthwhile if it had kept Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Trump also insists that gasoline prices will come down and has insisted for weeks that he will reach a good deal to end the conflict.
Rubio told senators Iran had intended to build up its conventional weapons capabilities as a "shield" for its nuclear program. "What they tried to do is they were going to try to build a conventional shield and hide behind that conventional shield," he said, spelling out why Trump felt it was imperative to launch the war.
Lawmakers, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, have also asked for more information from the administration about its strategy on Iran and other foreign policy priorities.
Congress stalls on Iran war powers vote
Last month, the US Senate voted to advance a war powers resolution that would end the Iran conflict unless Trump obtains Congress's authorization. Days later, House leaders abruptly postponed a vote on a similar resolution when it looked likely to pass.
Members of Congress have said they want more information about Venezuela, after Trump sent US forces to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, given that Maduro's number two has been serving as Venezuela's acting president, and there are no current plans for elections.
They said they also have questions about US forces firing on boats off Venezuela's coast since September, in a campaign the administration says is intended to stop "narco-traffickers" that have killed more than 200 people.
There have also been questions about Trump's plans for Communist-controlled Cuba, amid growing concerns about a possible US military attack as his administration increases pressure on the island, and about an outbreak of the deadly disease Ebola in Africa.