On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Iran has requested a change in venue for its discussions with U.S. officials. This announcement followed various reports suggesting a shift in the meeting location.
“We believed we had a mutually agreed upon setting in Turkey, organized with the help of several partners who were eager to participate,” Rubio remarked as he addressed questions from the press. He further noted, “I encountered conflicting statements from the Iranian side yesterday, indicating they had not consented to that arrangement. This is still under negotiation. Ultimately, the United States remains ready and willing to engage with Iran.”
Rubio’s comments came during a speech at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, held in the Loy Henderson Conference Room at the State Department’s Harry S. Truman Building in Washington, D.C., on February 4, 2026. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, a source with insight into the ongoing discussions informed Fox News on Tuesday that Iran wishes to relocate the nuclear talks to Oman, with a proposed meeting set for Friday. Additionally, Axios reported that Iranian representatives are advocating for a more focused dialogue, insisting on a bilateral format with the U.S. that would exclude other Arab and regional participants. Such a request could potentially complicate the U.S.’s broader diplomatic strategy in the Middle East.
While Rubio refrained from confirming specific agenda items, he outlined key issues he believes must be addressed for the talks to yield substantial results. These include the scope of Iran’s ballistic missile program, its alleged support for terrorist organizations, its nuclear ambitions, and the human rights situation within the country.
Rubio would not say what topics had been agreed on. Rather, he laid out matters that, in his view, would need to be discussed in order for the meeting to “actually lead to something meaningful.” The topics on Rubio’s list include the range of Iran’s ballistic missiles, its sponsorship of terror organizations, its nuclear program and the treatment of its people.
Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
The secretary also spoke about the anti-regime protests that have raged in Iran since late December. When the demonstrations began, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would act if protesters were met with violence. Rubio credited Trump’s tough talk with the cancellation of protesters’ executions, something that the regime has denied.
“The Iranian people and the Iranian regime are very unalike,” Rubio said. “The leadership of Iran at the clerical level does not reflect the people of Iran. I know of no other country where there’s a bigger difference between the people that lead the country and the people who live there.”
President Donald Trump has repeatedly warned of possible U.S. action on Iran. (Iranian Leader Press Office/Anadolu via Getty Images; Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Rubio said that the Islamic regime is unable to fix the economic problems plaguing its people because Iranian leaders are using the country’s money and resources to sponsor terrorism and proxy groups around the world.
On Tuesday, the U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier with unclear intent,” a U.S. Central Command spokesman told Fox News.
The state tax building burned during Iran’s protests, on a street in Tehran, Iran, Jan. 19, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters)
Iran later claimed that the drone was conducting surveillance as part of a “routine and lawful mission over international waters.”
