Manila: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran was "paying the price" for its repeated failures to honor agreements with Washington. Speaking in the Philippines during the ASEAN meeting, Rubio highlighted Iran's pattern of making agreements only to break or alter them shortly thereafter.
According to TRTworld.com, Rubio expressed skepticism about Iran's willingness to commit to any new deals, suggesting that the nation's leadership was "begging" to resume talks with Washington due to the high costs they were incurring. He emphasized that President Donald Trump's administration was adopting a firm stance, indicating that the repercussions for Iran would continue to escalate until they reconsider their approach.
Additionally, Rubio advised Yemen's Houthi group to avoid deeper involvement in the regional conflict, accusing Tehran of drawing them into the war. He urged the Houthis to cease their actions against Saudi Arabia and to disentangle themselves from Iranian influence.
Rubio also conveyed the United States' readiness to play a "constructive role" in resolving the ongoing war in Ukraine. Following discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting in Manila, Rubio noted President Trump's openness to facilitating an end to what he termed a "senseless war" if an opportunity presented itself. He remarked on the severe toll the war had taken, citing civilian casualties and Russian military actions in Kiev, while stressing the necessity of finding an acceptable resolution for both Russia and Ukraine.
