Rubio says Iran yet to approve HEU deal; Trump to attend NATO summit next month

By Seo Ji-yeon, The Herald Business

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the handling of highly enriched uranium (HEU) remains the central sticking point in negotiations with Iran over ending the conflict, adding that final approval from Iranian leadership has yet to come. He also said Washington is pressing ahead with efforts to broker a peace deal between Israel and Lebanon.

Appearing before a House hearing Wednesday, Rubio said the documents exchanged between the two sides "clearly include the HEU issue," but that as of Wednesday morning, the United States had not received final approval from Iran's chain of command.

On the broader military confrontation with Iran, Rubio said Operation "Magnificent Fury" had concluded, and that neutralizing most of Iran's military capabilities and weapons production facilities could be defined as a victory.

Rubio said delegations from Israel and Lebanon had been meeting at the State Department for two consecutive days, and that he hoped both sides would issue a joint statement and action plan by Thursday. "The leaders of Lebanon's legitimate government and the Israeli government are gathered at the State Department," he said. "I hope that by Thursday we will have a joint statement and action plan on the direction of security for that country."

He said any agreement must be "independent from Hezbollah and malign influence" — a phrase widely interpreted as a reference to Iran.

The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors to the United States had been meeting at the State Department since Wednesday for a fourth round of direct talks aimed at ending armed conflict in Lebanon and concluding a peace deal. Washington has stepped up its mediation role as the Hezbollah issue has emerged as a new variable during the ongoing US-Iran negotiations.

Rubio criticized Hezbollah as an unreliable partner, citing an instance roughly two weeks ago in which the group proposed a ceasefire and then resumed attacks. At a Senate hearing Wednesday, he had also said "the problem is Hezbollah," arguing that Iran was using the group to stoke conflict with Israel and leverage it in negotiations with the United States.

The hearing also produced a reaffirmation of the Trump administration's position on NATO.

Rubio said President Donald Trump plans to attend the NATO summit in Türkiye next month. He said NATO reform and increased defense spending by European member states would be among the main agenda items.

He also noted that during the conflict with Iran, some NATO allies had not fully cooperated with US requests for military support, use of American bases in Europe, and overflight rights, asking, "What kind of alliance is that?"

"We are still part of NATO, but significant changes are needed," he said. "The president has made that very clear."

On the Russia-Ukraine war, Rubio said neither side had yet shown willingness to make the concessions necessary for peace, "particularly Russia."

However, he rebuffed suggestions that US involvement in the conflict with Iran had indirectly helped fund Russia's war effort.

"We are clearly on the side of Ukraine," Rubio said. "We are providing weapons to Ukraine, not Russia. We are imposing sanctions on Russia, not Ukraine." He added: "Frankly, we are not a neutral mediator in this war."