'Iranian demands are outrageous,' Rubio says as talks fail to make progress

Jerusalem Post/Middle East/Iran NewsAhead of a G7 meeting in France, Rubio said Iran talks have made no progress, calling Tehran's demands "unacceptable" and warning that the US could respond to threats against its forces.Follow us on GoogleUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to members of the media during a signing ceremony on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US, September 21, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/Pool)NOVEMBER 9, 2026 01:00Updated: NOVEMBER 9, 2026 01:20US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that negotiations with Iran have made little progress, stressing that Washington is not close to reaching a diplomatic breakthrough with Tehran.Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure for France to attend a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, Rubio 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."Rubio said President Donald Trump continues to favor a diplomatic solution, but acknowledged that Iranian demands remain a major obstacle to reaching an agreement."The president will always prefer to resolve this problem, like any other problem, through diplomatic means. 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 because the Iranian demands are simply unacceptable, and in some cases they are outrageous, ridiculous, and detached from reality," he added.Rubio also addressed the possibility of additional US strikes on Iran, saying Washington would act if American forces or shipping in the region came under threat.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media before departing from Homestead Air Reserve Base in Homestead, Florida, on November 8, 2026. (credit: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)"If there is a clear and immediate threat to shipping or to our forces in the region, we have the right to defend ourselves. It all depends on the level of the threat and whether they are acting against us or intend to do so," he said.Rubio defends Trump's decision to go to war with Iran despite political falloutThe secretary of state also defended Trump's decision to go to war with Iran, despite the potential political consequences of the conflict."A nuclear Iran would be unacceptable and dangerous not only to Israel and the Middle East, but to the entire world and the United States. The president confronted a threat that other presidents were unable to confront. Sometimes doing the right thing is not necessarily popular, but it is necessary," Rubio said.Rubio declined to comment on whether the war had contributed to Republican losses in the US midterm elections.Follow us on Google