Rubio says Iran ‘not serious’ about talks at ASEAN meeting

President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that the United States has "no interest" in meeting with Iran until Tehran is prepared for "meaningful" negotiations, dismissing diplomatic overtures even as the war between the two nations continues to escalate.

"I will tell you, they want to desperately meet. And until they're ready to meet in a meaningful way, we have no interest in meeting," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.Mint+2

Rubio Echoes Hardline Stance at ASEAN

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the administration's position on Wednesday at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, accusing Iran of failing to engage seriously in diplomacy. "The problem we're having right now is that they're not serious about talks. If they're serious, we're serious. If they're not, then we will do what's necessary to protect our interests, and also the interests of our allies," Rubio said.Rubio Says Iran Not Serious About Talks Despite US Openness, Speaking at ASEAN Meeting in Manila+1

Rubio also warned that Iran's demand to control traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would set a dangerous precedent. "At its core it is very simple — Iran demands, which they do not have under any legal existing mechanism, to control the traffic of the Strait of Hormuz," he told the assembled foreign ministers, adding that such a precedent could be replicated in other waterways, including in Asia.The Boston Globe+1

Mediation Efforts Continue Behind the Scenes

Despite the public rejection of talks, diplomatic channels remain active. Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Islamabad on Monday carrying a special message from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for Pakistan's leadership, meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as part of intensified consultations amid the conflict.X+1

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Qatar presented a joint proposal on Monday calling for a 10-day halt in hostilities and a return to pre-July 9 positions as a first step toward resuming the stalled Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The proposal calls on Iran to immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz while the U.S. would end its blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on Iranian oil sales.The new Arab+1

The mediation efforts come as American forces have conducted nine consecutive nights of strikes against Iran, and as Houthi threats in the Red Sea forced Saudi oil tankers to reverse course this week, underscoring the widening toll of the conflict on global energy markets.AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012+1