Iran not serious about talks with US, - Rubio
Iran has repeatedly reached out to the United States with proposals to resume negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict. At the same time, the administration of President Donald Trump believes that Tehran is not currently demonstrating a genuine willingness to engage in constructive dialogue and achieve tangible results.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made this statement at a meeting of foreign ministers from the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, according to Censor.NET, citing Ukrinform.
Rubio assessed Iran's readiness for negotiations with the U.S.
"Unfortunately, although we have reached agreements, they (Iran) have not yet fulfilled their obligations. And, as the president (Donald Trump. — Ed.) has previously stated, the problem is that they are not taking the negotiations seriously. If they are serious, then we are serious too; if not, we will do whatever is necessary to protect our interests and the interests of our allies," said Rubio.
The U.S. has rejected Iran's claims to control the Strait of Hormuz
According to him, Iran is demanding the right to control transit through the Strait of Hormuz, for which it has no legal basis, and if this demand is accepted, it will set a dangerous precedent that could be repeated in other parts of the world, including Southeast Asia.
"At stake is not only the issue of the Strait of Hormuz, but the preservation of the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation. If this principle is threatened, then the global economy is at risk, as are the rules that have underpinned international trade for the past 150 years. This cannot be allowed to happen," the secretary of state said.
Washington is ready for dialogue, provided that the agreements are fulfilled
He emphasized that the U.S. remains open and ready for constructive negotiations, provided that commitments are fulfilled; if the other side fails to fulfill them, it will face consequences.
"If these consequences did not exist, we would today be living in a world where a significant percentage of this region’s energy supply—and 20% of the world’s energy supply—would be held hostage by a state, an outcast regime, that intends to appropriate the right to levy duties and control shipping — a right they do not possess under any applicable international laws, particularly those governing maritime transit," Rubio emphasized.
