Rubio says U.S. is still open to Iran talks as tensions rise

Rubio says U.S. is still open to Iran talks as tensions rise Iran wants to limit discussions to its nuclear program, but Rubio wants to include ballistic missiles, sponsorship of militant groups and treatment of its people U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is open to upcoming talks with Iran and that a location is “being worked through,” but stressed the discussions can’t be restricted to nuclear issues. Amid confusion over where the talks will take place and and what topics will be covered, Rubio said Wednesday that the U.S. side thought an agreement had been reached for the meeting to be held on Friday in Turkey. “As far as the talks are concerned, you know, I think the Iranians had agreed to a certain format — for whatever reason, it’s changed in their system,” Rubio told reporters. “We’ll see if we can get back to the right place. But the United States is prepared to meet with them.” Iran has asked for the discussions — which follow repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to strike the country if it doesn’t agree to a deal — to be moved to Oman from Turkey and to exclude the participation of regional countries, people familiar with the matter said earlier. The White House hasn’t commented on any request of that nature. Iran also wants to limit the discussions to its nuclear program, but Rubio said that “for talks to actually lead to something meaningful, they have to include certain things.” That includes Tehran’s ballistic-missile program, sponsorship of regional militant groups, and the treatment of its people, Rubio said, adding that White House Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff is prepared and ready to attend a summit. Contrasting positions over the parameters of the talks are likely to raise concerns about whether the two sides can realistically bridge major differences at a time of heightened tensions in the oil-rich region. The U.S. and Iran have long been at loggerheads over the Islamic Republic’s atomic activities, but divisions have grown — particularly after Tehran authorities crushed a recent wave of protests, leaving thousands dead. On Tuesday, a U.S. jet shot down an Iranian drone after it “aggressively approached” the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, the American military and government said. The skirmish sent oil prices higher. Brent oil rose 0.6 per cent to around US$67.70 a barrel on Wednesday. It’s up 11 per cent this year, in large part because of the prospect of a war. Trump on Tuesday reiterated that the U.S. and Iran are maintaining diplomatic contact. Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said on Wednesday that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Witkoff will travel to Muscat for the talks, which will be “limited to the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions on Iran.” The semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency, meanwhile, said “the main topic” of the talks will be Iran’s nuclear program and that Iran’s most pressing issue will be sanctions relief. Iran has previously pushed back against negotiating with the U.S. over its conventional missile capabilities, but the country is more vulnerable than in earlier rounds due to unprecedented levels of dissent at home. Talks between Tehran and Washington last year collapsed after Israel started airstrikes on Iran in June. Araghchi said last week that Iran’s missiles will “never” be subject to negotiations, and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has explicitly tasked him with negotiating “within the framework of the nuclear deal.” That refers specifically to Iran’s atomic activities, with the Islamic Republic having blocked international monitors from accessing some nuclear facilities after Israel and the U.S. launched airstrikes in June. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.