U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says negotiations involving Iran show “good signs,” but Washington is not abandoning contingency planning. Speaking to reporters, Rubio indicates President Donald Trump’s preference is to reach a “good deal” through diplomacy, while also stating that if a deal cannot be achieved, the United States has “other options.”
Multiple reports describe Rubio’s efforts to frame the current talks as potentially constructive without appearing overly optimistic. He adds that regional partners, including Pakistan and other allies, are working to support a diplomatic resolution and that some officials are traveling to Tehran.
Rubio also criticizes Iran’s proposed economic pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has floated a “tolling” arrangement. He says such a system would make a deal “unfeasible” and describes the proposal as unacceptable to the international community. The statements combine a cautious assessment of diplomacy with warnings that U.S. policy remains flexible if negotiations do not produce terms the administration considers acceptable.
