U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he believes Iran is serious about seeking a way out of its current situation, despite significant internal and external pressures.

Axar.az reports, in an interview with Fox News, Rubio stated that Iran is facing severe economic and political challenges, including worsening inflation, sanctions pressure, and internal instability.

“I think they are serious about getting themselves out of the mess that they’re in,” Rubio said.

He noted that many of Iran’s pre-conflict problems remain unresolved and have in fact deteriorated, adding that the country is “weaker” following recent developments.

Rubio also said Iran’s internal political structure complicates negotiations, pointing to divisions within the country’s leadership.

"Other than the fact that the country is run by radical Shia clerics, that's a pretty big impediment. The other is that they're deeply fractured internally, and I think that's always been the case, but I think it's far more pronounced now. The best way to understand Iran is you have a political class now. I think, look, people talk about moderates and hardliners. They're all hardliners in Iran. But there are hardliners who understand they have to run a country and an economy, and there are hardliners that are completely motivated by theology," Rubio said.

Rubio emphasized that any potential agreement must ensure that Iran is firmly prevented from developing nuclear weapons.

"I hope that in the aftermath of this conflict, the whole world's eyes have been opened to the threat Iran poses. Again. They want to do with the world, with a nuclear weapon. What they are doing now with oil, they want to hold the world hostage so they can do whatever they want. That's unacceptable," he added.