Rubio: administration will not accept an Iran deal that preserves enrichment capability

Committee members pressed Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the administration's negotiating posture toward Iran and whether the White House would accept an agreement that preserved Iran's enrichment capacity.

Rubio said the president has been "very clear that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon," and he emphasized that any deal that leaves Iran with enrichment capability is unacceptable because "if Iran has enrichment, they can weaponize." Rubio and other administration officials said that an acceptable civilian nuclear arrangement for Iran could be structured without domestic enrichment, citing alternatives used by other countries.

Members asked whether the administration would send any agreement to Congress for review. Rubio replied that existing law provides Congressional rights to weigh in and that he expected Congress to be involved under the statute passed following the previous JCPOA experience.

Discussion points included whether a U.S. negotiating posture should insist on zero enrichment, how to verify Iranian compliance, and whether the administration should invoke statutory congressional review or other approval steps before finalizing any agreement. Rubio said the administration favors maintaining maximum pressure to prevent a threshold nuclear capability and would use sanctions and other tools as needed.

Ending: Rubio reiterated that any acceptable arrangement must prevent an Iranian path to a nuclear weapon and said the administration has sanctions tools available if diplomacy falters; members requested written details on how the administration would use existing statutory review processes.