New York (HRNW)- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said President Donald Trump remains willing to reach an agreement with Iran to end the conflict, but Washington’s central condition is that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon.
Speaking to reporters in New York, Rubio said Trump was still open to an agreement that would allow Iran to become a prosperous and developed country, provided the deal guarantees that Tehran will not obtain nuclear weapons.
Rubio said the nuclear issue remains the core concern for the United States. He added that Washington is prepared to pursue diplomacy if there is a realistic prospect of achieving that objective.
The comments came amid continuing indirect discussions between US and Iranian representatives on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Reuters reported that significant differences remained between the two sides, although officials involved in the talks said diplomatic channels were still active.
Rubio had said a day earlier that the United States was open to meeting Iranian officials if such a meeting could produce a constructive outcome, particularly one that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have said they are reviewing Washington’s response to proposals aimed at ending the conflict, while acknowledging that major differences remain between Tehran and Washington.
Rubio also emphasized that reaching an agreement would likely require further negotiations and sustained diplomatic effort. At the same time, the Trump administration has continued to maintain that military options remain available if diplomacy fails.
The latest statements indicate that Washington is keeping diplomatic engagement with Tehran open while maintaining its stated position on Iran’s nuclear programme.
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