Rubio calls Iran demands ridiculous
The US Secretary of State says diplomatic talks have stalled, citing Tehran’s refusal to accept core American terms.
By Charlotte Dubois ·
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Sunday that negotiations with Iran have made little progress. He stated that Washington is not close to a diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran. Rubio made these remarks before departing for France to attend a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.
The talks have not been productive, according to Rubio. He said the Iranian demands are unacceptable. In some cases, he described the requests as outrageous and ridiculous. He added that they are detached from reality.
President Donald Trump continues to favor a diplomatic solution to the conflict. Rubio said the president will always prefer to resolve problems through diplomatic means. However, Rubio acknowledged that this approach is sometimes impossible.
The Secretary of State defended Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran. He noted that a nuclear Iran would be dangerous to Israel, the Middle East, and the United States. Rubio said the president confronted a threat that other leaders were unable to address. He added that doing the right thing is not always popular but is necessary.
Rubio addressed the possibility of additional US strikes on Iran. He said Washington would act if American forces or shipping in the region came under threat. The response would depend on the level of the threat and whether Iran was acting against the US or intended to do so.
The secretary of state declined to comment on whether the war contributed to Republican losses in the US midterm elections. He said several countries continue to engage with Iran and put forward various ideas. He stated he would not say the US is on the verge of a breakthrough.
Rubio’s comments mark the latest update in a stalled diplomatic process. The next scheduled step is the G7 foreign ministers meeting in France. No new date for direct US-Iran talks was announced.
