Rubio rebukes Rosen’s comment over lack of Iran negotiation involvement
Secretary of State Marco Rubio disputed Sen. Jacky Rosen’s claim that he was not involved in U.S. Iran talks. The exchange happened during Rosen’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where Rosen said Rubio was in Miami with President Trump instead of traveling to Pakistan for negotiations with Iranian officials.
Rubio responded that he was not at a party,but in communications with the president during the period of the negotiations and that he periodically spoke with him while talks were underway. The talks in Pakistan took place April 11-12 with Vice president JD Vance, along with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, and also Iranian officials led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Rubio and Trump attended a UFC fight in Miami on April 11.
Rosen argued it was “embarrassing” that Araghchi attended the meetings and that rubio did not. Rubio later emphasized the U.S. negotiating approach, noting that iran has “agreed to negotiate aspects” of its nuclear program. The two countries are still working toward an agreement, with the management aiming to address issues in phases-first involving the Strait of Hormuz, then focusing primarily on Iran’s nuclear program, alongside condition-based sanctions relief and port blockade changes tied to Iran’s actions.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio disputed Sen. Jacky Rosen’s (D-NV) characterization of where he was and what he was doing while the U.S. negotiating team, which he was not a part of, met with Iranian officials in Pakistan in April.
The heated moment between them occurred during the secretary’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday morning.
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“I was shocked to see that you were at a party with President Trump in Miami instead of accompanying Vice President [JD] Vance to Pakistan for negotiations,” she said.
Rubio interjected, asking her to name what party he was at, adding, “That’s an absurd statement. I was not at a party. People are going to slander me, I’m going to answer it.”
The negotiations took place on April 11 to 12 in Pakistan, and Vance was accompanied by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and former adviser, and Steve Witkoff, a former real estate agent friend of Trump who’s now a presidential envoy. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf led the Iranian delegation.
On April 11, Trump and Rubio attended a UFC fight in Miami, Florida.
Rosen said, “I just feel that’s embarrassing for us and it’s embarrassing for you,” that Araghchi attended the meetings but Rubio did not.
Rubio responded, “I was not at a party. Where I was, is next to the president because in the midst of those negotiations, I was in communications with them and in fact, I think there’s media reporting from that evening on how on multiple occasions I went into a back room and came back out and spoke to the president and was constantly updating him.”
RUBIO: IRAN HAS ‘AGREED TO NEGOTIATE ASPECTS OF THEIR NUCLEAR PROGRAM
The U.S. and Iran are continuing negotiations but have yet to reach a breakthrough. The Trump administration is pursuing a bifurcated agreement in which the first phase would focus on the Strait of Hormuz, then the second phase would primarily revolve around Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. would end its blockade of Iranian ports if Iran ended its threats on commercial vessels, and the U.S. would discuss condition-based sanctions relief for Iranian concessions on their nuclear program.
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