Rubio: Iran's Hormuz Demands Show It's Not Serious About Diplomacy

WASHINGTON, Jul 22: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington remains open to negotiations with Iran but accused Tehran of failing to honor previous commitments and lacking seriousness in pursuing diplomatic talks.

Speaking at an ASEAN meeting, Rubio said the United States was prepared to engage if Iran showed genuine willingness to negotiate.

“We have reached agreements before, but they have not kept their commitments,” Rubio said. “If they are serious, we are serious. If they are not, then we will do what is necessary to protect not only our interests but also the interests of our allies.”

Rubio also criticized Iran's demand for control over traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, saying such a claim has no basis under existing international legal mechanisms.

He warned that the dispute risked setting a dangerous precedent that could be replicated in other regions, including Asia, and said it threatened the international rules governing global trade and maritime commerce.