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    Trump open to meeting Ayatollah Khamenei, says Marco Rubio amid strained relations
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    Rubio described President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, as an effort to deter Iran from taking actions that could escalate into a broader conflict. File photo

    Trump open to meeting Ayatollah Khamenei, says Marco Rubio amid strained relations

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Trump is willing to meet Iran's Ayatollah as Washington increases military pressure on Tehran

    The Federal
    15 Feb 2026 9:49 AM IST

    President Donald Trump is open to striking a deal with Iran and would even be willing to meet with the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in an interview.

    Speaking during an interview with Bloomberg at the Munich Security Conference, Rubio said that Trump is “willing to meet anybody”. He added that if the Ayatollah asked to meet Trump, that meeting would happen.

    Direct engagement

    Rubio emphasised that the administration views direct engagement as a way to address global challenges.
    "Nation states need to interact with one another - I serve under a president that's willing to meet with anybody," he said in the interview.
    He pointed out that he is pretty confident that if the Ayatollah said he wanted to meet with President Trump tomorrow, the president would meet him. It is not because he agrees with the Ayatollah, but because he thinks that's the way one solves problems in the world, Trump added.

    Further, Rubio described President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, as an effort to deter Iran from taking actions that could escalate into a broader conflict. He declined to comment on whether the United States was losing patience with the Iranian government.

    Military pressure

    On Feburary 13, Trump had announced that a second US aircraft carrier group would soon be deployed to the Middle East, increasing military pressure on Iran, even as negotiations over its nuclear programme continue. Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that the USS Gerald R Ford would be reassigned from the Caribbean to the region, saying it would depart “very shortly.”

    He added that the move was intended as a precaution in case talks with Iran fail, noting, “In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it.”

    Tensions between the United States and Iran have risen following Iran’s crackdown on protesters last month. The US had previously warned of serious consequences if Tehran does not reach an agreement on its nuclear programme.
    Under the new orders, the USS Gerald R Ford strike group will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf.

    Also read: 'Will not be intimidated by US threats,' says Iran amid rising tension

    Gulf Arab states have cautioned that any military strike against Iran could risk escalating into a wider regional conflict in West Asia, which is still dealing with the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

    US ties with Europe

    In the Bloomberg interview, Rubio also said that the United States wants Europe to prosper because of the close ties and shared interests between the two regions.

    Rubio highlighted cultural and historical connections, describing the US and Europe as heirs to the same civilization, which he characterised as one to be proud of. His remarks expanded on a speech delivered earlier at the Munich Security Conference, where he struck a more conciliatory tone compared to Vice President JD Vance’s sharper comments at the same event a year earlier, while still reflecting elements of President Trump’s nationalist message.

    Donald TrumpUS-Iran tensionsUS Secretary of StateMunich Security Conference
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