By Vera Bergengruen

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that "the time has come for Iran to make a sensible choice" and come to the negotiating table willing to accept the terms of a proposed agreement. "It's not easy for them to do that," he said, calling the Iranian regime "insane in the brain," appearing to riff on the title of Cypress Hill's 1993 hit. "The alternative is growing isolation, economic collapse, and ultimately, total defeat."

Speaking from the White House podium, he said the Iranian regime has to "accept the reality of the situation" and do the best for its people. "They have these sailors, you know, on commercial ships that are going to starve to death out there," he said. "They don't care. They don't care that this is melting down economies around the world, even of their own allies."

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May 05, 2026 16:00 ET (20:00 GMT)

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