US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran has become much more willing to enter talks on its nuclear programme and the strategic Strait of Hormuz because of continuing US military strikes. Rubio made the comments in an interview with Fox News, published on 2 August 2026. He said the United States was approaching negotiations from a position of strength rather than weakness.

Rubio again claimed that US attacks had completely destroyed Iran’s navy, air force, missile-defence systems, launchers and weapons-manufacturing factories. He said Iran’s overall defence capability had been severely damaged. At the same time, Rubio said Iran still possessed some missiles and drones and retained the ability to inflict a limited degree of damage.

According to Rubio, Iran no longer has the conventional military shield behind which it had previously operated. He said this shift had changed the course of the conflict. The military pressure, he argued, had made Iran willing to reach an agreement on nuclear matters and important straits, with Tehran appearing especially eager in some instances.