US administration says ongoing negotiations with Tehran must protect American and global security interests….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Marco Rubio on Monday said negotiations between the United States and Iran were still ongoing, while stressing that President Donald Trump would not agree to what he described as a “bad deal” with Tehran.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi before departing for Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, Rubio said discussions over Iran remained a “work in progress” but pointed to positive developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“We’re still a work in progress,” Rubio said.
“I think there is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits, get the straits open, enter into a very real, significant time limited negotiation on the nuclear matters.”
Rubio said the United States hoped diplomacy would succeed and described the negotiations as important not only for the region but for the wider international community.
Calling the talks “the right thing for the world to get done”, the US Secretary of State said Washington continued to support diplomatic engagement while remaining firm on its conditions.
He reiterated Trump’s position that the United States would not rush into an agreement simply to secure a quick breakthrough.
“As the president said, he’s not in a hurry, he’s not going to make a bad deal,” Rubio said.
“We’re going to give diplomacy every chance to succeed before we explore the alternatives.”
Rubio added that Washington wanted a “good agreement” with Iran but warned that if negotiations failed, the issue would need to be addressed through other means.
“We’re either going to have a good agreement or we’re going to have to deal with it another way,” he said.
The remarks came a day after Trump claimed any future agreement with Tehran would be fundamentally different from the nuclear deal negotiated under former US President Barack Obama.
Trump criticised the Obama era agreement, accusing the previous administration of granting Iran significant financial relief while still allowing Tehran a pathway to nuclear weapons development.
The US President said his proposed agreement with Iran would be the “exact opposite”, although he noted that negotiations had not yet been fully completed.
Trump also stated on Sunday that Washington would maintain its “blockade” on Iranian ports until a formal agreement was reached, certified and signed by both sides.
The latest comments come amid continuing diplomatic efforts involving the United States, Iran and several Gulf countries aimed at reducing tensions in West Asia and securing broader agreements covering nuclear issues, regional security and maritime trade routes.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the negotiations because a significant share of the world’s oil shipments passes through the narrow waterway, making stability in the region critical for global energy markets and international trade.
Rubio’s comments were made during his ongoing visit to India, which has focused on strengthening strategic and economic ties between Washington and New Delhi while also discussing major regional and global security issues.
