US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has condemned “extraordinary and ridiculous” demands on Iran, as efforts to find a lasting solution to the Middle East wars appear to have stalled.
Speaking to reporters in Florida on Sunday night before heading to Paris for the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, Rubio suggested that the two sides remain wide apart in negotiations after Tehran proposed shortening the timetable for resuming talks from seven days to two.
Rubio added that President Donald Trump wants to resolve “every issue diplomatically,” but “unfortunately, there are times when that’s not possible.”
Energy prices fell on Monday morning after President Trump said Sunday that further attacks are “extremely unlikely” if negotiations move toward a strong deal.
brent crude oilThe dollar, a benchmark for international prices, was down 0.75% at $97.58 a barrel by 5:25 a.m. ET. On the other hand, the U.S. west texas intermediate December futures were trading 0.42% lower at $90.45.
In an interview with CNN ahead of Rubio’s remarks, President Trump said that if Iran’s nuclear ambitions are curbed and talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz make progress, a resumption of fighting in the conflict, which has lasted more than eight months, is unlikely.
Brent crude oil.
“I wouldn’t say we’re taking a breakthrough step,” Rubio said. “At the moment, Iran’s demands are not only unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous, ridiculous, and in fact not realistic, and therefore not very productive.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai said on Monday that Tehran wants U.S. sanctions to be lifted and the war to end on all fronts before negotiations begin.
