US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Calls Iran's Demands 'Unrealistic and Absurd'

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Iran are making little progress, primarily due to Tehran's stance. He described some Iranian conditions as so excessive that a resolution is currently not in sight. "I have no progress to report," Rubio told reporters at Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida before departing for France to attend a G7 foreign ministers' meeting. While several countries continue to engage in talks with Iranian leadership and propose various solutions, Rubio emphasized that no breakthrough has occurred. He affirmed that President Donald Trump remains committed to a diplomatic solution, but current efforts are being thwarted by Iran's demands, which he characterized as unacceptable, "absurd, ridiculous, and completely detached from reality."

Rubio addressed the possibility of further U.S. military strikes, referencing America's right to self-defense. He indicated that Washington would respond if there were an immediate and clear threat to American forces or regional shipping. "It depends on how great the threat is and whether they act against us or intend to," he said, explicitly not ruling out a military response. The Secretary of State defended Trump's decision to pursue a diplomatic path, though he declined to comment on whether the conflict might have contributed to Republican losses in U.S. midterm elections.

Rubio shifted the focus to the dangers posed by Iran's nuclear program, asserting that a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten not only Israel and Middle Eastern nations but the entire world, including the United States. He credited Trump with confronting a threat that his predecessors had not addressed, adding, "Doing the right thing is not always popular. But sometimes it is necessary."