Rubio says Trump remains open to Iran deal, warns of costs
United Nations: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said President Donald Trump is still willing to negotiate a deal with Iran, while warning that Tehran could face intensified economic pressure and possible military action if it continues efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.
Rubio was speaking to reporters during the United Nations General Assembly after US officials held discussions with mediators involved in the Iran issue on Wednesday. He did not disclose the identity of the mediators or provide details of the proposals discussed.
“The president’s open, still to this moment, to making a deal with Iran,” Rubio said.
He made clear, however, that Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its backing of armed groups across the region remained major barriers to an agreement. Rubio also cautioned that any diplomatic breakthrough would require extended negotiations rather than a single public announcement.
“If there’s going to be a deal with Iran, it’s not going to happen at a press conference,” he said.
The Secretary of State said the Strait of Hormuz had also featured in the discussions. According to Rubio, the southern shipping route through the strait remained open, while the volume of oil passing through it had increased. He attributed the security of vessels and the removal of mines to US military operations. These claims could not be independently verified from the material provided.
Rubio further alleged that Iran had continued targeting ships and referred to what he described as another launch on Wednesday morning. He said the United States would continue protecting commercial vessels and ensuring that the waterway remained open. No response from Tehran was included in the transcript.
Asked if the latest talks were based on an earlier memorandum of understanding, Rubio said Iran had breached that understanding. He declined to comment on whether it had been used as a starting point for the new discussions.
“I’m not going to characterise yesterday’s talks,” he said.
Rubio also rejected the suggestion that Iran might delay negotiations until after the US midterm elections. He said Tehran would be miscalculating if it assumed that a possible change in the composition of Congress would limit Trump’s authority to act.
Trump, Rubio said, possessed extensive powers on national security matters, including the ability to impose sanctions and authorise military action. The President, he added, regarded the Iran issue as a continuing security challenge and not one tied to the election cycle.
Rubio said Washington’s Gulf partners shared its concerns about keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, countering attacks associated with Yemen’s Houthi movement and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He added that several countries backed the economic pressure being applied by the US.
On legislation that would give Trump tariff powers relating to Russia and Iran, Rubio said it would provide the President with an additional option. He noted that national security waivers would allow Trump to decide how and when the authority was used, but announced no new tariffs.
Rubio said military strikes on Iran’s nuclear installations would not, by themselves, resolve the dispute. The US was seeking “a long-term and enforceable commitment to never pursue a nuclear weapon, ever”, he said.
The Strait of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, is a vital passage for international oil shipments. Any prolonged disruption to traffic through the waterway could have repercussions for energy prices and markets worldwide.
(Inputs from IANS)