US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on 24 September 2026 that President Donald Trump remained open to reaching a deal with Iran, even as he warned that Tehran could face escalating economic pressure and potential military action if it continued to pursue a nuclear weapon. Rubio made the remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Trump's Openness to a Deal

'The president's open, still to this moment, to making a deal with Iran,' Rubio said, while making clear that Tehran's nuclear ambitions and its backing of armed groups across the region remained the central sticking points in any potential agreement. He stressed that any deal would require sustained diplomatic work and would not emerge from a single press conference.

Rubio confirmed that US officials had spoken with mediators involved in the Iran process the day before, but declined to identify those mediators or describe the terms discussed. He also refused to say whether earlier discussions had returned to the framework of a prior memorandum of understanding, noting only that Iran had violated it. 'I'm not going to characterise yesterday's talks,' he said.

Strait of Hormuz and Shipping Security

The Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and a major artery for global oil shipments — featured prominently in Rubio's remarks. He said the strait's southern shipping lane was open and that oil volumes transiting the route were increasing daily, crediting the US military with defending vessels and clearing mines. Those claims could not be independently verified.

Rubio further accused Iran of continuing to fire on ships, citing what he described as another launch on Wednesday morning. He said Washington would persist in defending freedom of navigation and keeping the strait open. Iran's response to these allegations was not available at the time of reporting.

Iran's Midterm Election Gambit Rejected

Rubio pushed back on suggestions that Tehran might delay negotiations until after the US midterm elections, hoping a change in Congress would constrain Trump. He said Iranian officials were misreading the American political system. The president, he argued, holds broad national security powers — including authority over sanctions and the use of military force — and views the Iran question as a long-term security concern, not an electoral calculation.

Gulf Partners, Houthis and Tariff Legislation

Rubio said several Gulf partners shared US concerns, including the imperative to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, opposition to an Iranian nuclear weapon, and alarm over attacks linked to the Houthis in Yemen. He added that a number of countries also supported the economic pressure Washington was applying to Tehran.

On legislation granting Trump tariff authority related to Russia and Iran, Rubio described it as an additional diplomatic and economic tool, noting that national security waivers would allow the president to apply it on a case-by-case basis. He did not announce any new tariffs. Rubio also underscored that destroying Iran's nuclear facilities alone would not resolve the issue — Washington, he said, sought 'a long-term and enforceable commitment to never pursue a nuclear weapon, ever.'

What Comes Next

With direct or mediated talks apparently still active, and the Strait of Hormuz under recurring pressure, the diplomatic window remains narrow but, according to Rubio, not closed. The trajectory will depend heavily on whether Tehran signals a credible willingness to abandon its nuclear programme — something Washington has set as a non-negotiable baseline.