Secretary Rubio says Iran must follow through on inspection agreement; U.S. won�27t finance reconstruction

Secretary Rubio said Thursday that U.S. officials "know what [Iran] agreed to" on inspections and that Iran27s future compliance will determine whether diplomatic progress continues.

A reporter opened the exchange by noting Iranian officials had publicly said they had not agreed to inspections from the International Atomic Energy Agency, a statement the reporter said appeared to contradict remarks by Vice President Vance. "We know what they agreed to," Rubio replied. "I don27t know why they have to say the things they say. Whatever their internal or domestic politics is, I guess they27ll navigate it. But we know what they agreed to do, and now they27ll either do it or they won27t. And if they do, the process moves forward. And if they don27t, the President will have some decisions to make."

Rubio said the United States is consulting closely with regional partners. Asked what assurances were being offered about regional security, he pointed to longstanding relationships with the three countries he was visiting and singled out the United Arab Emirates for recent cooperation, saying the U.S. delegation was primarily "here to hear from them" about security and economic concerns following recent talks in Switzerland.

On whether Gulf allies were "onboard" with the framework, Rubio called the effort a "work in progress," saying the issue had persisted for decades and that "good groundwork was laid over the last 72 hours," but that "a lot of work remains to be done."

On reconstruction funding for Iran, Rubio reiterated the White House27s position that the U.S. will not provide money for a reconstruction fund. Asked whether Gulf allies might be asked to contribute, he said, "No, that27s far down the road," adding that if Iran chose to abandon a revolutionary posture "they27ll have an opportunity" to attract foreign investment. "It won27t be our investment. It won27t be our government money," he said.

When asked whether negotiations over Lebanon should be linked to the Iran framework, Rubio said the processes are separate because "Lebanon is a sovereign country" with its own elected government, and the U.S. would work directly with Lebanese officials. He also said Iranian support for Hezbollah would figure in broader talks with Iran.

On whether missiles and proxy forces were covered by the memorandum of understanding discussed in recent talks, Rubio said those topics "most certainly will come up" and that careful reading of the MOU shows it can encompass related issues tied to ending hostilities, though some items may be addressed outside the MOU.

A final question about the Strait of Hormuz prompted Rubio to point to established international law on navigation: "It27s an international waterway. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway," he said, adding he expected regional agreement on that principle.

The exchanges leave open whether Iran will comply with inspection arrangements and what concrete security measures or funding mechanisms might follow; Rubio said the U.S. will continue consultations with partners and that further steps depend on Iran27s choices.