Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Iran has let several chances at a nuclear deal slip through its fingers, with broader Washington-Tehran negotiations still stuck in neutral.
Speaking Wednesday during a visit to Greece, Rubio put it bluntly: "Iran has failed to take advantage of multiple opportunities to reach agreement with us on nuclear program," CNBC reported.
The nuclear fight sits at the center of ceasefire efforts, with Washington pushing for restrictions on Iran's enrichment capabilities as part of any wider agreement.
Vance Wants More Than Promises on Enrichment
Vice President JD Vance said Iran would need to make a "meaningful" reduction in its uranium-enrichment capacity, rather than merely promise future limits. Vance questioned why Iran needs 60% uranium enrichment at all if its nuclear program is truly peaceful, and urged Tehran to take real steps to cap enrichment capacity.
Tehran isn't exactly racing to comply. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Washington's "requests and ideas" for Iran to curb uranium enrichment are "at odds" with Iran's demands.
Iran Under Mounting 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, a first-ever move in 20 years, according to the 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.
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