Rubio says sanctions are crippling Iran's economy
The secretary says the US will honour its commitments to Saudi Arabia and will not close the door to talks with Tehran.
Published
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that sanctions are crippling Iran's economy, and that Washington intends to honour its commitments to Saudi Arabia while keeping diplomacy with Tehran open.
Iran has told the Trump administration it will reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US lifts its blockade. Sources cited by Fars have since called reports of such a deal invalid. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has said it must negotiate if national interests require it.
Rubio is due to meet Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in New York on September 23, their first meeting since July's ASEAN summit in Manila. Iran's foreign minister is also in New York this week, part of a wider diplomatic push that includes contacts through Qatar.
Saudi Arabia has restarted its East-West pipeline after damage disrupted flows, with exports from Yanbu expected to resume later Tuesday. Rubio's mix of pressure and openness, backed by sanctions as the main lever, leaves the door to talks ajar without tilting toward escalation or de-escalation, a stance that matches the current holding pattern in oil markets as traders wait for a clear break on either the Hormuz standoff or direct US-Iran talks.