US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Iran sanctions stay until nuclear program ends

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Senate committees that the Trump administration will not lift sanctions on Iran unless Tehran provides verifiable commitments to end its nuclear program. He emphasized that the sanctions were imposed because of Iran’s nuclear activities and that any relief depends on Tehran abandoning those efforts.

Rubio also noted that the United States’ attention has shifted away from the war in Ukraine, which he said remains a low priority amid the focus on Iran. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky complained that the U.S. has placed Ukraine “in the queue,” while Russian President Vladimir Putin echoed the view that America is concentrating on Iran above other conflicts. Rubio described the Ukraine negotiations as stalled, warned of a real risk of escalation, and called for stronger diplomatic efforts and additional U.S. air‑defense support for Kyiv.