US: Rubio and Vance Warn of Iran's Threat Ahead of Talks

The warnings came a day after US President Donald Trump claimed in his State of the Union address that Iran would "soon" have the capability to strike the US mainland, and a day before US and Iranian representatives are due to meet for talks in Geneva, Switzerland.

"After their nuclear program was obliterated, they were told not to try to restart it, yet here they are," said Rubio, referring to strikes carried out on Iranian nuclear facilities by US forces on June 22, 2025, during the twelve-day war between Iran and Israel.

"You can see them always trying to rebuild elements of it," he continued. "They're not enriching [uranium] right now, but they're trying to get to the point where they ultimately can."

Thursday's negotiations in Geneva, the third round of nuclear talks this year, come as a US military build-up continues in the Middle East ahead of potential strikes against the Islamic Republic.

Vance: 'Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon'

Tehran insists that its nuclear program is solely for civilian use, but Washington suspects the regime is attempting to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels.

"The principle is very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," said JD Vance.

In the event of a US attack, Iran has promised to make use of its right to self-defense by launching retaliatory strikes against US interests in the region, although Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had admitted that the country doesn't have the capacity to strike the US mainland.

"Beyond just the nuclear program, they possess these conventional weapons that are solely designed to attack America and attack Americans if they so choose to do so," said Rubio.

"They already possess weapons that can reach much of Europe," he continued, claiming that Iran was also trying to develop weapons that could reach the continental United States.

He said Tehran's insistence on not discussing the topic of ballistic missiles in the Geneva talks was a "big, big problem."

In quotes cited by the Associated Press (AP), two Iranian officials called the claims from the Trump administration "big lies" and said negotiations may yield an agreement through "honorable diplomacy."

Rubio said President Trump would also prefer "diplomatic solutions" but said "progress needs to be made" on Thursday.

Read: US-Iran Nuclear Talks: Deal or Military Strike?

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