US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that diplomatic efforts with Iran have so far produced little, describing the demands put forward by Tehran as unacceptable and unrealistic. He made the remarks to reporters on his arrival in France for a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven.
Rubio said Washington would pursue diplomacy with Iran if an opening emerges, but he gave no indication that one was imminent. He stopped short of detailing the specific content of the Iranian demands, and his comments left open whether any negotiated settlement is within reach.
The remarks come as talks in Paris prepare to begin on Monday and run for two days. The agenda includes Iran and Ukraine, two of the most pressing foreign policy files facing the Trump administration. Rubio is expected to be questioned about shifting US positions on both issues, and his comments on Sunday were a preview of how he intends to defend the administration's approach.
Rubio defended President Donald Trump's handling of Iran, arguing that his administration is confronting a threat that previous governments had long ignored. He said US forces would respond defensively to any threats, though he did not say what form such a response might take or under what circumstances it would be triggered. The scope and timing of any possible US military action remain unclear.
The question of US policy is being raised against a changed political backdrop at home. Democrats gained ground in the recent midterm elections, and that result has sharpened scrutiny of the administration's foreign policy choices. Whether US policy on Iran or Ukraine will change in response to the talks in Paris has not been established.