U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he speaks with members of the media before departing for Bahrain International Airport after his visit to the Middle East to discuss the interim deal between the U.S. and Iran with Arab Gulf allies, in Manama, Bahrain, June 25, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/Pool
A Republican congressman pushed back on Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the Trump administration's Iran agreement during a private House briefing Monday, and Rubio conceded the negotiations may go nowhere.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) questioned why the U.S. would even attempt to deal with Tehran, according to a source on the call who relayed the exchange to reporter Mychael Schnell of MS NOW.
"I don’t understand the MOU from the standpoint of trying to come to an agreement with the country that has never been compliant with anything they’ve done in the past,” McCormick said, per the source. He added that lifting pre-war sanctions "just shows them that they're victorious," and said: "I just don't understand why we'd even consider dealing with these people in any sort of good-faith agreement."
The briefing, led by Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff, followed the 14-point memorandum of understanding Trump signed June 17 to halt the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and open a 60-day window for talks on sanctions and Iran's nuclear program.
Rubio responded that Iran is already doing things it would never have done, and argued the U.S. should judge Tehran by its actions rather than its statements, per the source. He also lowered expectations.
"No one is here under any illusion that this is easy, or even likely, in some cases… There's a reason why this has been going on for 47 years, but we’re gonna give it an opportunity," Rubio said, per the source.
McCormick's skepticism echoes the alarm that greeted the deal's sanctions concessions, and lands as the ceasefire frays, with U.S. forces striking Iran again last week.