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Marco Rubio says peace talks with Iran 'not very productive,' calls Tehran's demands ‘outrageous’
Rubio says US-Iran peace talks remain unproductive, calling Tehran's demands unacceptable and unrealistic despite Trump's openness to a diplomatic deal.
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that talks with Iran about a potential peace deal "[haven't] been very productive" and called Iran's demands "simply unacceptable."
Rubio spoke to reporters in Florida before departing from Florida for the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in France. His comments came just hours after Donald Trump told CNN in a phone interview that it is "highly unlikely" that they will strike Iran if the two parties make progress in the peace talks being mediated by Qatar and Pakistan.
"I wouldn't say we're at the verge of a breakthrough," Rubio told reporters. "The president would always prefer to solve this and every problem diplomatically. Sometimes that's not possible, unfortunately, but if there's a chance to do it, we'll explore it.
"Right now, it hasn't been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic."
Also read: Trump says 'largely true' Iran war led to midterm losses but defends actions
US-Iran peace talks started before Election Day in the US on November 3, Tuesday. But since the election, they have stalled, especially after the US launched unexplained strikes on Qeshm Island on November 6.
Reuters reported a day earlier on November 5, Thursday, that Iran sent a proposal to make an agreement on Tehran's nuclear program, but that is subject to Washington accepting seven demands from Iran first.
Rubio's comments came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in a fiery X post Sunday, threatened the US with further escalation if its demands are not accepted.
“American voters have made their choice. Time for the White House to make its own,” Aragachi wrote. “Our 2-day proposal stands: meet the requirement, including an end to war on all fronts, and you will see results. Or choose war, and see our alert and battle-hardened Warriors rain down hell.”
Trump mulling strikes
Despite acknowledging that Iran was responsible for the Republican Party's country-wide losses in the midterm elections, Trump has not ruled out strikes on Iran.
On Thursday, he said the US is "locked and loaded" and “making more weapons than ever” to launch a fresh attack on Iran. "I'll rather not destroy the country, but maybe we'll have to do it," Trump told reporters.
Also read: Trump announces US military's ‘Iron Gate’ task force disrupting land routes into Iran
On Sunday, the president seemed to have softened his stance on the war, noting that another strike is "highly unlikely" and raising questions about whether it will be necessary.
“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” the 81-year-old told CNN in an interview. “The answer is highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary. They’re a failing nation. It just came out, you saw this year, 301% inflation.
“Highly unlikely it will be necessary,” Trump continued. "I would, if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don’t know how hard I hit them. So it’s highly unlikely I’ll have to. They’re withering away financially. We’ve hit them militarily. We could finish them off.”
