Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Aug 2: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the Iranian regime is facing an American president unlike any before, asserting that President Donald Trump's decisive actions have fundamentally altered the dynamics between Washington and Tehran.

In an interview with Fox News, Rubio said Iran had, for decades, become accustomed to avoiding accountability despite violating agreements and misleading the international community.

"I don't think the Iranian regime has ever faced a President like Trump, which is somebody that actually takes action," Rubio said, adding that the Trump administration's approach had left Tehran with fewer options.

Rubio claimed recent US military strikes had significantly weakened Iran's conventional military capabilities, although he acknowledged that the country still possessed missiles and drones capable of carrying out attacks.

According to Rubio, the erosion of Iran's conventional strength has compelled Tehran to show greater willingness to engage in negotiations on issues including denuclearisation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

He said the United States was now negotiating from a position of strength rather than weakness, describing this as the key reason behind Iran's renewed interest in talks.

Rubio also accused Iran of seeking to expand its revolutionary ideology across the Middle East and stressed that the cost of such policies must be raised to deter future actions.

His remarks came hours before President Trump announced that he had decided to cancel a planned military strike on Iran, provided meaningful progress was made towards a broader agreement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said several Middle Eastern countries had urged restraint as the framework for a potential deal had begun to take shape. He said the proposed agreement included the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and measures to eliminate what he described as Iran's nuclear threat.

Trump also stated that Israel had agreed to work alongside the United States in pursuing the proposed agreement.

The latest developments mark another shift in the months-long conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, with diplomatic efforts now appearing to gain momentum even as tensions remain high.