US senator Rubio: Reaching deal with Iran unlikely

US Senator Marco Rubio has expressed skepticism about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Iran, criticizing attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Tehran informed Pakistan's army chief, Asim Munir, that it will not resume talks with Washington until its demands are met, as Pakistan continues its mediation efforts to revive diplomatic engagement between the two sides.

In a television interview on Tuesday, Rubio said Iran is targeting commercial ships, describing such actions as unprecedented since World War II.

He added: “We have a country openly and publicly declaring it targets commercial vessels. We have not seen this since World War II.”

He continued: “They are using tactics reminiscent of Nazi submarines. This is something the world must unite to condemn.”

Discussing the prospects of negotiations with Tehran, Rubio said: “It is difficult to reach an agreement with the Iranian regime... Unfortunately, they are not skilled negotiators and are under the control of hardline Shia clerics.” He added: “They are driven by religion. It is very difficult to reach an agreement with them.”

Rubio's remarks on Iran came during his current visit to India, where he held talks with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in Mumbai. The discussions focused on strengthening energy cooperation and continuing efforts to finalize a bilateral trade agreement.