Rubio flags Iran missile stance as 'big problem' ahead of Geneva talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio

• US urges Iran to include missiles in Geneva talks
• Rubio calls Iran's missile stance a major obstacle to diplomacy
• IAEA confirms inspections, but access to key sites is blocked

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has raised concerns over Tehran’s refusal to include its missile program in negotiations, calling the issue a serious obstacle as Washington prepares for fresh talks with Iran in Geneva.

“I would say that the Iranian insistence on not discussing ballistic missiles is a big, big problem,” Rubio told reporters, signaling that Washington wants any diplomatic track to extend beyond nuclear issues.

The comments come as U.S. President Donald Trump has sharpened his rhetoric, asserting that Iran is pursuing missile capabilities that could eventually reach American territory. In a recent address, Trump said Tehran was “working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” while reiterating that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

Vice President JD Vance also underscored that position, saying, “The principle is very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” as he pointed to intelligence suggesting Tehran may be attempting to rebuild elements of its nuclear program after strikes carried out in June.

Those strikes, referred to by Trump as Operation Midnight Hammer, targeted key facilities tied to uranium enrichment. While the president has repeatedly claimed the sites were “obliterated,” international inspectors have indicated that Iran could resume enrichment activities on a smaller scale within months.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed inspections at several declared facilities that were not struck, but access to major sites hit in the attacks — including Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan — remains unavailable.

Despite the military pressure, Rubio emphasized that Washington still prefers a diplomatic path. “The president wants diplomatic solutions. He prefers them greatly,” he said, adding that progress in talks would be essential. “Hopefully they’re productive, but eventually we’ll have to have conversations about more than just a nuclear program.”

He declined to say whether the Geneva meeting would determine the likelihood of military action. “The president’s made no decision on that,” Rubio noted, adding that it was unclear whether the talks would prove decisive.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Iranian representatives to test whether an agreement is within reach, even as a significant American military presence remains in the region.

On the missile front, U.S. assessments have suggested Iran could develop intercontinental capabilities over time, potentially by 2035, while analysts note ongoing technological cooperation that could accelerate that timeline.

Meanwhile, the broader dispute also touches on Iran’s internal unrest. Trump claimed that authorities had killed at least 32,000 protesters in recent months, though rights groups and Iranian officials have reported significantly lower figures, with widely varying estimates.

Tehran, for its part, continues to deny any ambition to build nuclear weapons, maintaining that its enrichment program is for civilian use under international agreements. However, Western governments argue that the levels of enrichment reached by Iran raise serious concerns.