Washington, June 3 -- Facing Congress for the first time since the latest escalation in the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration's foreign policy approach, insisting that Iran's military capabilities had been "significantly degraded" and that Tehran was showing greater openness to negotiations over its nuclear programme.
While he suggested that previously "non-negotiable" issues were now on the table, Rubio cautioned that a final agreement could still take months to achieve.
The hearing, however, quickly turned combative as Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen launched a sharp attack on the administration's handling of global crises, setting the tone for a tense and confrontational session.
Israeli...