Iran has proposed restarting peace talks in as few as two days, shortening an earlier seven-day timeline, as Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei defended the offer as the most reasonable on the table.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed Iran’s conditions as 'outrageous and ridiculous' during a press briefing ahead of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris. Iran’s demands include the lifting of US sanctions, the end of a naval blockade, and a halt to hostilities on all fronts before negotiations resume.
Baghaei reiterated Iran’s stance in a weekly press conference, stating: 'Is it unreasonable that Iran demands that US illegal sanctions and its naval blockade must be lifted before negotiations start and that the war should end on all fronts?' He also dismissed US pressure on Iraq to close most of its borders with Iran as unrelated to bilateral ties between Tehran and Baghdad.
Rubio acknowledged that President Donald Trump continues to favor a diplomatic solution but warned that Washington would act if American forces or shipping in the region faced threats. 'If there is a clear and immediate threat to shipping or to our forces in the region, we have the right to defend ourselves,' Rubio said. He added that Iran’s demands remain a major obstacle to progress, stating: '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.'
Energy markets reacted to Trump’s comments over the weekend, with Brent crude down 0.75% at $97.58 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate futures trading 0.42% lower at $90.45 by early Monday. Trump had stated in a CNN interview that further strikes were 'highly unlikely' if negotiations progressed toward a strong agreement.
Baghaei also criticized a US military task force aimed at restricting Iran’s land trade, calling it a 'diversion' following the Republicans’ losses in the midterm elections. Meanwhile, Rubio defended Trump’s decision to launch the war in Iran, calling it 'necessary' to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, despite political fallout. 'Confronting difficult challenges for the security of our country — doing it isn’t necessarily popular, but necessary,' Rubio said.
Trump echoed this sentiment, stating: 'If they ever had a nuclear weapon, they would blow up the world.' He added that he saw no need to escalate the conflict at present but maintained that the war would be remembered as one of his most significant achievements.
The US and Iran remain engaged in talks, but Rubio emphasized that 'we are not on the verge of a breakthrough.' He reiterated that Washington would consider further strikes if American interests in the region were threatened.