Washington, May 2, 2025: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called on Iran to abandon its uranium enrichment activities, halt its missile development program, and allow American inspectors access to all nuclear-related facilities, including military sites, as a key condition for resuming stalled nuclear talks.
Rubio made the remarks during an interview with Fox News on Thursday, a day after the fourth round of negotiations aimed at reviving the Iran nuclear agreement was postponed. His comments highlight the widening gulf between Tehran and Washington, raising fears that the window for a diplomatic solution is narrowing.
“They have to walk away from sponsoring terrorists, they have to walk away from helping the Houthis [in Yemen], they have to walk away from building long-range missiles that have no purpose other than to deliver nuclear weapons, and they have to walk away from enrichment,” Rubio said.
He argued that Iran’s nuclear energy needs could be met by importing enriched uranium rather than producing it domestically. “If you have the ability to enrich at 3.67%, it only takes a few weeks to get to 20%, then 60%, and eventually to the 80–90% level needed for a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Iran has consistently asserted that its nuclear programme is peaceful and that it has the sovereign right to enrich uranium under the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Tehran also maintains that its missile programme is non-negotiable and necessary for national defense.
A senior Iranian official, speaking to Reuters, confirmed that the Rome talks scheduled for Saturday had been postponed, saying a new date would be determined “depending on the U.S. approach.”
Tensions have been heightened by U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent warning that military action remains on the table if no agreement is reached. Meanwhile, Iran continues to insist that any deal must respect its national rights and security concerns.
Rubio emphasized that any future deal must include robust verification measures, including access for American inspectors to all Iranian facilities. “Trust is not enough,” he said. “Verification requires full transparency, and that includes military sites.”
The delay in talks and the increasingly hardline rhetoric from both sides have raised alarm among international observers, with diplomats urging restraint and a return to negotiations before tensions escalate further.
