Rubio says Iran deal may not be possible
Rubio said Iran's demands are unrealistic and that talks are not close to a breakthrough, as the US remains open to diplomacy.
A diplomatic agreement with Iran may not be possible, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday, Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Paris, Rubio said several countries were still talking with Tehran about different proposals, but he would not describe the process as near a breakthrough.
He said Washington remained open to diplomacy, yet he called the negotiations unproductive and labeled Iran's demands "outrageous and ridiculous."
Rubio added that Trump would always prefer a diplomatic fix to any problem, although that is not always achievable.
Rubio defended Trump's handling of the war with Iran, now in its ninth month, saying the president had confronted a long-standing threat to US national security despite possible political costs.
He said stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons should remain a bipartisan priority.
Asked when further strikes could occur, Rubio said US actions were defensive and depended on threats to American forces or to maritime traffic in the region.
"The US acts defensively," he said, adding that Washington would respond to a clear and present threat to shipping or its forces.
Any such action would depend on the level of threat and on whether Iranian forces were attacking or preparing to attack US interests, Rubio said.
His comments came days after limited US strikes on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump confirmed on Friday had targeted Iranian air defense systems.
The US and Israel launched a military offensive against Iran on Feb. 28, and a ceasefire was reached in April.
A memorandum in June aimed at securing a peace agreement has not yet produced a final settlement.
The Iran conflict is expected to be among the issues discussed when G7 foreign ministers meet in Paris on Monday and Tuesday.
