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EnglishپارسیEnglishپارسیU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran’s nuclear and missile programs remain a serious threat to the United States and its interests, stressing that President Donald Trump prefers negotiations—but that Washington views Tehran as a long-standing security challenge.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday night, Washington time, Rubio described Iran’s nuclear program as the top threat, claiming Iran is attempting to rebuild parts of its nuclear infrastructure after U.S. strikes destroyed facilities. He said Iran is not enriching right now, but is working to reach a point where it can resume enrichment.
Rubio also called Iran’s missile program a direct threat to U.S. bases and regional partners, including in the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, and said Iran’s naval capabilities challenge shipping and the U.S. Navy—adding that Tehran has weapon systems that could be used against Americans if it chooses.
Source: Marco Rubio remarks to reporters.
The Wall Street Journal reports the U.S. presented Iran with a detailed set of demands in the Geneva talks, anchored on permanent dismantlement of Iran’s core nuclear infrastructure and zero enrichment.
According to the report, Washington’s list includes:
Source: The Wall Street Journal
The U.S. military has reportedly begun transferring six additional F-22 stealth fighters toward the Middle East, according to The Times of Israel, citing analysts who monitor flight-tracking data.
The report says the six aircraft are expected to be stationed at a southern Israel air base, where 11 other F-22s reportedly landed on Monday, 5 Esfand. A 12th jet that was supposed to arrive reportedly turned back due to a technical issue.
Flight-tracking data cited in the report indicates the six F-22s departed the U.S. on Wednesday, 6 Esfand, flying with tanker support toward RAF Lakenheath in the UK.
Source: The Times of Israel, citing open-source flight-tracking analysts
The U.S. Senate Republicans’ official account on X posted a sharply worded warning toward Iran’s leadership, saying the “killer ayatollahs” must abandon nuclear ambitions and stop funding proxy terrorist groups that “kill Americans.”
The post added that President Donald Trump is “a man who does what he says,” signaling a message of heightened pressure and deterrence as tensions around Iran’s nuclear file continue.
Source: U.S. Senate Republicans’ X account,
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance told reporters the United States has evidence indicating Iran is trying to rebuild its nuclear program following last summer’s attack. He reiterated Washington’s core red line: “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Vance added that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will assess on Thursday whether reaching an agreement with Iran is possible.
Iran is reportedly prepared to cut uranium enrichment to ~3.6%—a level broadly associated with the JCPOA—according to Israel’s KAN network, citing an Arab diplomat familiar with key clauses in a draft document Tehran is expected to present at Thursday’s Geneva talks.
The diplomat said the U.S. side did not insist on “zero enrichment” in the previous round. In the reported Iranian draft, Tehran proposes a 7-year suspension framework on enrichment-related activity, while Washington is said to be pushing for a 10-year commitment to be written into any final agreement.
A major unresolved dispute is Iran’s existing uranium stockpile, estimated at several hundred kilograms. The report says Tehran opposes transferring the material outside Iran and would only accept lowering its enrichment level, while the U.S. is said to be pressing for the stockpile to be moved out of the country.
Source: KAN (Israel), citing an Arab diplomat,
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran’s nuclear and missile programs pose a threat to the United States and its interests, stressing that President Donald Trump prefers diplomacy but views Tehran as a long-standing security challenge.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday night, Feb. 25, 2026 (6 Esfand), Washington time, Rubio described Iran’s nuclear program as the “first and most important” threat, claiming Iran is trying to rebuild nuclear facilities after they were destroyed in a U.S. attack. He said Iran is not currently enriching, but is working to reach a point where it can resume enrichment.
Rubio also highlighted Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, especially short-range ballistic missiles, which he said threaten U.S. forces and bases in the region as well as regional partners—including bases in the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. He added that Iran’s naval capabilities threaten shipping and seek to challenge the U.S. Navy.
He further argued that Iran is pursuing pathways to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability, citing activities such as satellite launches, and said the major problem is Iran’s refusal to discuss its ballistic missile program.
Russia’s SVR has alleged that France and the UK are covertly working to help Ukraine obtain a nuclear weapon (or at least “components/technology”), while claiming Germany “refused” to take part—but the SVR provided no evidence, and Kyiv and Paris have rejected the allegations.
According to Reuters, Ukraine called the claims “absurd”, and France’s embassy in Moscow described them as “an outright lie.”
The SVR’s statement has circulated specific examples like France’s TN-75 warhead associated with France’s sea-based deterrent (M51 SLBM family), but this is presented as an allegation—not confirmed reporting.
Any transfer of nuclear weapons by a nuclear-weapon state to another recipient would directly conflict with NPT Article I commitments.
Source: Reuters (denials and lack of evidence); Anadolu Agency (SVR’s “Germany refused” claim); UN (NPT text); NTI/CSIS (TN-75/M51 background).
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has urged Hezbollah to avoid a military response if a war breaks out between Iran and the United States, warning against pulling Lebanon into another conflict as regional tensions rise.
In comments reported from an interview with Nida Al Watan, Salam pointed to the heavy domestic cost of past escalations and argued Lebanon should not be drawn into a new “adventure” tied to wider regional confrontations.
Source: Nida Al Watan, as cited by Reuters.
The UK has announced additional support for Kyiv (Kiev) and confirmed that planning for a post-peace multinational force is already moving from concept to structure, after the UK signaled it would deploy British troops to Ukraine once peace is secured.
According to the UK government, a 70-person headquarters is already up and running for the proposed Multinational Force for Ukraine, and preparations for UK forces are backed by £200 million in funding.
Alongside the readiness push, the UK also detailed a new support package including: £20m emergency energy support, £5.7m humanitarian aid, training in the UK for Ukrainian pilots, and £5m for justice/accountability support.
Source: UK Government (GOV.UK / Ministry of Defence); Reuters.
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said the current U.S.–Iran talks are focused for now on nuclear issues, and that the Trump administration wants any future nuclear agreement with Iran to last indefinitely—with no “sunset” provisions that phase out restrictions over time.
Axios reported Witkoff made the remarks in a private meeting, arguing the U.S. position starts from the premise that Iran must commit to the deal’s core constraints permanently, unlike the 2015 accord, whose key limits were designed to expire over 8 to 25 years.
Witkoff also said that if a nuclear deal is reached, Washington would seek follow-on talks covering Iran’s missile program and support for regional proxies, and would want other countries in the region involved at that stage.
Source: Axios; Reuters (reporting on the Axios account).
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told India Today that President Donald Trump has become a “victim of fake news” regarding claims about Iranian missile development allegedly capable of reaching U.S. territory.
Araghchi said Iran has “deliberately” capped its missile range at 2,000 km, insisting the program is defensive and designed for deterrence, not offensive purposes; he also argued Iran was not the initiator in recent clashes and framed Tehran’s actions as “legitimate defense.”
He also disputed Trump’s claim of 32,000 protest-related deaths, saying Iranian authorities have published a list totaling 3,117 victims and calling the loss of life “very regrettable.”
On the nuclear file, Araghchi said “negotiation and diplomacy is the only option,” adding Iran is ready to address concerns but will not give up what it calls its right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology—remarks made ahead of talks expected in Geneva.
Source: India Today interview (as cited above).