U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio

May 26, 2026 4:55 PM

Rubio says Iran deal could take days as US launches fresh strikes

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that negotiating a deal with Iran could "take a few days", quashing hopes for an imminent end to the conflict after U.S. forces conducted what Washington called defensive strikes in southern Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they reserved the right to retaliate against any ceasefire violations, while Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said countries in the region could no longer be a shield for U.S. bases. Both sides had indicated pr...

May 22, 2026 11:14 AM

Rubio to tell NATO ministers Trump ‘very disappointed’ over Iran war stance

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet NATO allies on Friday for the first time since President Donald Trump called the alliance into question due to divisions over the Iran war and Washington announced plans to pull 5,000 troops from Europe. Before leaving for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden, Rubio said Trump was "very disappointed" in alliance members who had not allowed the U.S. to use bases on their territory for the war, singling out Spain in particular. "You have cou...

May 22, 2026 11:05 AM

What is GAESA, which has taken center stage in US-Cuba tensions?

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made no bones about who he blames for Cuba's economic woes. The culprit, according to the Cuban American politician, is a military conglomerate known by its initials GAESA. "Cuba is controlled by GAESA," Rubio said on Wednesday in a video message in Spanish addressed to the Cuban people. "A 'state within the state' that is accountable to no one and hoards the profits from its businesses for the benefit of a small elite." Cuba's leadership rarely talks p...

May 22, 2026 10:08 AM

Rubio: likelihood of negotiated agreement with Cuba ‘not high’

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday the chances of a negotiated settlement with Cuba were “not high”, as Washington steps up pressure on the island’s communist government. Rubio said the United States would prefer a diplomatic solution. "That remains our preference with Cuba," he told reporters. "I'm just being honest with you, you know, the likelihood of that happening, given who we're dealing with right now, is not high. But if they have a change of heart, you know, we...

May 8, 2026 3:01 PM

Pope Leo, after Rubio meeting, asks God to inspire leaders to calm tensions

Pope Leo asked that God would inspire world leaders to calm global tensions and reduce hatred in an address on Friday to mark his first anniversary as head of the Catholic Church, a day after he met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican. Leo, who has drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump after criticizing the Iran war, asked worshippers to pray that global governments would turn away from violence. In a visit to Pompei, a modern city about 245 km (152 miles) south of Rome n...

May 6, 2026 10:23 AM

Rubio calls Hormuz resolution test for UN, urges against vetoes

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday called a U.S.-proposed U.N. resolution demanding Iran stop attacks and laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz a test of the utility of the United Nations and urged China and Russia not to repeat vetoes. U.N. Security Council members began closed talks on Tuesday on a text the U.S. drafted with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, which, if it were to pass, could lead to sanctions against Iran, and potentially authorize ...

May 6, 2026 9:53 AM

Rubio says Israel-Lebanon peace deal is achievable but Hezbollah is a problem

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that peace between Israel and Lebanon was achievable but that the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was a problem. "By and large, I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is imminently achievable, and should be," Rubio told reporters at the White House. "The problem with Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon, it's Hezbollah," he added. Lebanon's government wants a permanent deal with U.S. ally Israel that would end a repeated cy...

May 6, 2026 9:27 AM

Trump pauses effort to escort ships in Strait of Hormuz, citing deal progress

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would briefly pause an operation to help escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, citing "great progress" toward a comprehensive agreement with Iran. Hours earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had outlined the effort that began on Monday to escort stranded tankers out of the Gulf. The strait has been virtually shut since the conflict began, blocking some 20% of world oil supplies and igniting a global energy crisis. "We have mutually agr...

May 6, 2026 9:20 AM

Rubio expects to discuss religious freedom with Pope Leo after Trump blasts pontiff

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday he expected to discuss Cuba and concerns over religious freedom around the world with Pope Leo during his visit to the Vatican on Thursday, after President Donald Trump took a fresh potshot at the pope for criticising the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. The U.S. ambassador to the Holy See said earlier that Rubio and the pope would "have a frank conversation about U.S. policy, to engage in dialogue." "Nations have disagreements, and I think one...

April 15, 2026 4:35 PM

Hezbollah says Lebanon’s talks with Israel widen national rift

Hezbollah said on Wednesday the Lebanese government's decision to hold talks with Israel was "a national sin" that would widen divisions in Lebanon, underlining deep polarisation in the country as the Iran-backed group wages war with Israel. Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said Tuesday's U.S.-mediated meeting between Lebanon's Washington ambassador and her Israeli counterpart did not reflect Lebanon's national identity or "the choices of its people". The meeting hosted by U.S. Secretary of...