US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the ongoing negotiations with Iran today and stated that significant progress has been made in the talks.
Rubio said that additional details are expected to be released later and hinted that agreements could be reached soon. He emphasized the current American administration’s position and its commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“I believe more news will come out later today, and I’ll leave it to the president to address it," Rubio said of the talks with Iran. “Suffice it to say that progress has been made - perhaps not enough yet - but we are getting closer. The ultimate goal is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon…they will never possess a nuclear weapon - certainly not as long as Donald Trump is president."
He added that the administration believes progress toward an agreement is being achieved in close cooperation with partners in the Persian Gulf region.
Rubio also addressed recent security threats from Tehran involving international shipping routes, stating: “Iran is threatening to destroy ships crossing through an international maritime passage - that is unacceptable. This precedent cannot be accepted."
He continued, “President Donald Trump wants to reach a solution. He would prefer the State Department to lead rather than the Defense Department, but a solution will be achieved."
Concluding his remarks, Rubio rejected criticism of the administration’s policy and praised Trump’s approach to Iran.
“We believe progress toward an agreement has been achieved in cooperation with our Gulf partners. I don’t think anyone has been tougher or stronger on the Iranian nuclear issue than President Trump. He is the only one who actually did something," Rubio said.
“It is absurd to underestimate his commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. It is ridiculous to think that such a president would agree to a deal that benefits Iran’s military nuclear ambitions. There is hope that something can be achieved - good news in the coming hours."