|
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with Fox News said that US President Donald Trump will not allow Iran to use fake negotiations as a delay tactic.
Rubio said that Trump remains open to talks with Iran. "Well, first of all, we can't ignore that for 47 years they've avoided and rejected any effort to negotiate. That doesn't mean we're going to stop trying. President Trump would always rather have negotiations than war, and he will always pursue that. We gave them 60 days early last year. We gave them additional time to negotiate after Midnight Hammer earlier this year. But each and every time, those efforts have proved fruitless. But we're going to keep trying," he said. Rubio added that there's even potential for holding direct talks, and the US is open for that. "There are messages being exchanged. There are talks going on. There is the potential for a direct meeting at some point. We're always going to be open to that. But what President Trump is not going to allow is fake negotiations being used as a delay tactic to buy more time--to buy themselves space. That's what he's not going to allow," he said. Rubio also questioned NATO, saying that the alliance would become a "one-way street" if they don't let the US use European bases to defend its own interests. "I've been one of the strongest defenders of NATO during my time as a United States senator, because I found great value in it. And it wasn't just about defending Europe--I said it also allowed us to have military bases in Europe that let us project power into different parts of the world when our national security was threatened," he said. Rubio further said that after this conflict is concluded, the US will reexamine that relationship. "If now we have reached a point where the NATO alliance means that we can't use those bases--that, in fact, we can no longer use those bases to defend America's interests--then NATO is a one-way street. Then NATO is simply about us having troops in Europe to defend Europe, but when we need their help--not even airstrikes, just access to military bases--their answer is no. Then why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question. So I think there's no doubt, unfortunately, that after this conflict is concluded, we are going to have to reexamine that relationship. We're going to have to reexamine the value of NATO for our country. Ultimately, that's a decision for the president to make," he said. Earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump is scheduled to deliver a televised address regarding the continuing hostilities with Iran on Thursday evening. https://x.com/PressSec/status/2039127824947183967?s=20 Confirming the timing of the broadcast via a social media post on X, Leavitt encouraged the public to "tune in" for the presidential update. (ANI)
|
