Secretary of State Marco Rubio shot back at Republican criticism of a possible deal with Iran as “absurd,” adding that “our preference is to address this through a diplomatic means.”
“The idea that somehow this president — given everything he’s already proven he’s willing to do — is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd,” Rubio said at a press conference in India on Sunday.
“That’s just not going to happen. But our preference is to address this through a diplomatic means, and that’s what we are endeavoring to do here. I think we’ve made some progress. I’m always cautious when I say that because you can agree to things on paper; they actually have to be implemented,” he added.
On Saturday, President Trump said that a deal with Iran was “largely negotiated” and would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz in the wake of a phone call with Arab allies in the region.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed and will be announced shortly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened.”
Multiple Republicans have raised concerns about a reported peace deal, saying it would be a disaster for Washington. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) claimed that a premature deal could practically swing the balance of power in the region toward Iran.
“If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominate force requiring a diplomatic solution,” Graham wrote Saturday in a post on social platform X.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wrote that he was “deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran ‘deal,’ being pushed by some voices in the administration” in a Saturday social media post.
“President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results—including destroying all of their missiles & drones and sinking their entire navy,” he added.
“If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’—now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake,” he continued.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also seemed to be cautious about the emerging deal, likening it to one that would have been negotiated by Obama-era officials.
“The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world,” Pompeo said in a Saturday X post.
