Rubio and Witkoff Brief Congress on Iran Agreement for First Time

The briefing was held online. Lawmakers from both parties questioned administration representatives. Republican Darrell Issa of California, in particular, asked about the fate of Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.

Rubio and Witkoff said the key goal of the negotiations is to reach an agreement that would completely prohibit Iran from retaining such stockpiles. According to them, the memorandum of understanding signed by Donald Trump was meant only to launch that process.

Witkoff added that the technical team responsible for this track is already heading from Switzerland to Qatar, where bilateral talks are due to begin on Tuesday.

Democrats demanded disclosure of what financial benefits Tehran receives under the memorandum, including revenues from oil sales after sanctions are lifted.

According to Politico, Democrat Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida entered into a lengthy exchange with Rubio and Witkoff about the lifting of Iranian oil sanctions.

Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania expressed concern about Witkoff’s personal business interests in the Middle East amid his involvement in the negotiations.

Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, after a separate phone call with officials, said they had effectively confirmed that Iran would receive billions of dollars in oil revenues while Tehran retained “dangerous leverage through the Strait of Hormuz.”

Schumer called the briefing “late and lacking in detail” and demanded that Secretary of State Rubio testify publicly under oath before the Foreign Relations Committee.

The Trump administration rejected Schumer’s criticism. Officials said the senator had previously had access to classified information as part of a relevant national-security group, and that during the meeting he had enough opportunities to ask any questions.

Later, on Monday, June 29, another briefing for congressional leadership was held at the Capitol—this one closed and classified.

In addition to the lifting of oil sanctions, lawmakers were interested in the $300 billion Iran reconstruction fund. Many Republicans fear that the funds could be used to finance the Iranian army and groups linked to Tehran, Politico writes.

Rubio and Witkoff tried to ease concerns, saying Iran had not yet received real money, let alone directly from American sources.

Commenting on the slow restoration of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, administration representatives explained the delay by the need for additional demining.

Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana called the conversation “productive,” but noted that a “significant portion” of what he heard resembled what he had already heard last week during a dinner at Vice President JD Vance’s residence.