Rubio to face lawmakers’ questions over Iran War as White House offers mixed messages about peace talks

Supervising Producer

WASHINGTON —

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will testify before Congress Tuesday for the first time since the war with Iran began, facing bipartisan questions about the conflict’s duration, the fragile ceasefire, and U.S. military actions.

Rubio will answer senators’ questions Tuesday morning and testify before House lawmakers in the afternoon.

Democrats and some Republicans are expected to question Rubio on various issues, including the length of the war and the fragile ceasefire, which continues to face challenges.

Republican Sens. Rand Paul, of Kentucky; Susan Collins, of Maine; and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, have been vocal about their stance against the continued war with Iran.

On Monday, President Donald Trump told ABC News he believes the U.S. will reach an agreement with Iran to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz within the next week. He also told CNBC he does not care if negotiations with Iran are over.

Trump projected a different stance on social media on Monday, announcing he intervened in the war between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, in an effort to keep peace talks between the U.S. and Iran on track.

Despite the ceasefire, fighting continued over the weekend. The U.S. military confirmed it launched defensive strikes against Tehran. American forces also helped repel attacks against troops stationed in Kuwait. Iran acknowledged it launched a retaliatory strike, underscoring the fluid nature of the situation.

Last week, the Trump administration said Iran was negotiating in good faith and claimed the two sides were close to a deal, but the president has also threatened to attack Iran multiple times if a deal is not reached.

Another issue under scrutiny this week is a potential war powers vote in the House aimed at limiting Trump’s military campaign. Republican leaders delayed the vote last month after failing to secure enough support to defeat the bill. Even if the House were to pass the measure, it would still require the president’s signature, which would not likely happen.

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