US ‘open’ to negotiations with Iran but Tehran not ‘serious’, Rubio says

The United States has signalled openness to diplomatic engagement with Iran, though senior officials express frustration with Tehran's negotiating posture. At an ASEAN meeting in Manila, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined Washington's position, emphasizing that American willingness to pursue constructive discussions depends on Iranian commitment to honouring agreements. Rubio framed the current impasse as a matter of Iranian seriousness rather than American reluctance, stating that reciprocal commitment would determine the path forward.

A central concern for US policymakers is Iranian activity in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies. Rubio warned that allowing any nation to unilaterally control an international waterway, levy tolls, or attack non-compliant vessels would establish a dangerous precedent with implications far beyond the Middle East. He characterized Iran's claimed authority over the strait as lacking legal foundation under existing international frameworks and framed the dispute as fundamentally about preserving freedom of navigation.

The diplomatic statements come amid escalating military operations. The US has conducted strikes against Iran for eleven consecutive nights, with explosions reported across multiple locations including Tehran. President Donald Trump has threatened further attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities at Natanz in the near term, while Iranian military officials have warned that such action would constitute an expansion of regional conflict and trigger retaliation against American interests and those of its allies. According to Iranian health officials, recent US attacks have resulted in fifty deaths and approximately five hundred wounded.