U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the United States seeks to reach a diplomatic settlement with Iran that ensures it does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
اضافة اعلان
Rubio added, at a press conference, that the United States also does not want Iran to possess the components of a nuclear weapon, noting that there is a lack of trust on the part of the United States toward Iran.
He explained that the breach of the memorandum of understanding – which was violated after it had been reached – reduces U.S. confidence in the Iranian regime at the present time, stating that the memorandum stipulated opening the strait to maritime navigation and never included or authorized attacks on commercial vessels.
He noted that U.S. President Donald Trump always tries to reach agreements and had been trying to reach an agreement with Iran for a year and a half, stressing that on the day the agreement statement was supposed to be announced, Iran targeted a ship.
He indicated that the United States is open to negotiating with Iran, saying: "When we strike a deal and it is not honored, that does not mean we cannot sign a new agreement" that Iran would abide by.
He affirmed that the United States continues to defend ships and freedom of navigation, undermine Iran's military capabilities, and deter any attempt to attack maritime navigation, stressing that the United States will not allow any country to control any of the waterways.
He expressed the view that Iran is in a predicament, especially amid inflation, rising food prices, and the significant damage inflicted on its military infrastructure.
He added that Iran does not spend its money to serve Iranians but rather on armaments and continuing its nuclear program, pointing out that Iran's capabilities in these areas are now fading after Washington undermined its potential.
Regarding the next steps if Iran refuses to negotiate, Rubio indicated that President Trump has many options available.
U.S. armed forces struck targets across Iran for the eleventh consecutive night on Tuesday night.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States has not ended its military operations against Iran.
The semi-official Fars News Agency reported that residents in Tehran reported hearing explosions in the early hours of Wednesday, while Iran activated its air defenses over the capital.
The official Iranian news agency IRNA reported that explosions occurred in the coastal cities of Chabahar and Konarak in the southeast, and two explosions were heard in Bushehr, which hosts Iran's only nuclear plant.
Oil prices rose further during Asian trading today after jumping more than 2% on Tuesday following Houthi threats, with Brent crude surpassing $91 per barrel at settlement and U.S. gasoline prices returning to above $4 per gallon.
