Rubio: Iran talks stalled by demands he calls outrageous

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Sunday that negotiations with Iran have made little progress. He stated that Washington is not close to a diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran.

Rubio spoke ahead of his departure for France, where he will attend a meeting of G7 foreign ministers. He said, "I have no progress to report. There are several countries that continue to engage with Iran and put forward various ideas, but I would not say that we are on the verge of a breakthrough."

The Secretary of State noted that President Donald Trump favors a diplomatic solution. However, Rubio identified Iranian demands as the main obstacle to an agreement. He described those demands as unacceptable and, in some cases, outrageous and detached from reality.

"The president will always prefer to resolve this problem, like any other problem, through diplomatic means," Rubio said. "Unfortunately, sometimes that is impossible. If there is an opportunity to do so, we will examine it. At the moment, the talks have not been particularly productive."

Rubio also addressed the possibility of further US military action. He said the United States would act if American forces or shipping in the region faced a clear and immediate threat. "It all depends on the level of the threat and whether they are acting against us or intend to do so," he added.

The official defended Trump's decision to go to war with Iran despite political fallout. Rubio argued that a nuclear Iran would be dangerous to the United States and the world. He said the President confronted a threat that other leaders had been unable to address.

Rubio declined to comment on whether the conflict contributed to Republican losses in the US midterm elections.