Rubio to brief top US lawmakers on Iran developments ahead of Trump speech

The top US diplomat is expected to brief senior lawmakers on Tuesday on the Trump administration’s approach toward Iran, as Washington and Tehran prepare for another round of talks later this week.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also serving as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, will meet House and Senate leaders at the White House, according to his public schedule.

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Trump is slated to address the nation Tuesday night in a nationally televised speech. While such addresses often focus heavily on domestic priorities, foreign policy developments can also feature prominently.

Although the official schedule does not specify the subject of the briefing, sources familiar with the matter said Iran will be the focus. The so-called “Gang of Eight” is expected to attend.

The group traditionally includes the Speaker of the House; the House majority and minority leaders; the Senate majority and minority leaders; and the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees.

Trump has repeatedly warned that the United States could take military action against Iran unless Tehran agrees to a deal that curbs its nuclear program and restricts its ballistic missile development and support for regional proxy groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

Amid rising tensions, the Pentagon has deployed additional assets to the Middle East. The US military now has two aircraft carriers in the region, compared with none just weeks ago. The scale of airpower currently deployed is among the largest in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

In a further sign of heightened concerns, the State Department on Monday ordered the departure of dozens of non-emergency personnel and eligible family members from the US Embassy in Beirut.

“We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel,” the State Department said in a statement.

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