Awaiting Iran's Response, Marco Rubio Says War Will End in Weeks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that his government is awaiting an official response from Iran regarding the 15-point peace proposal submitted by the Trump administration. Although informal communications have taken place, the US still requires clarity on who will represent Tehran at the negotiating table.
“We haven’t received it (the official response) yet. Listen, we have received messages. There have been exchanges of messages and indications from the Iranian government system, or whatever remains of it, about willingness to discuss certain matters,” Rubio told CNN.
The internal turmoil within the Iranian regime, shaken by US and Israeli attacks, poses the primary obstacle. Many senior leaders are reportedly dead, leaving the US waiting for certainty on who holds the authority to negotiate.
“Who is the person we will talk to? What will we discuss, and when? When will we talk?” Rubio emphasised. He added that the response could arrive “anytime,” possibly within the next one or two days.
Regarding military developments, Rubio affirmed that the United States can achieve its primary objectives in this war without deploying ground forces. The US is focused on completely crippling Iran’s military capabilities to eliminate its nuclear threat.
“We will destroy their navy, we will destroy their air force, and we will significantly destroy their missile launchers so they can no longer hide behind those things to obtain nuclear weapons,” Rubio said. He predicted the war would end in weeks, not months.
On the deployment of an additional 1,000 personnel to the Middle East, Rubio explained that President Donald Trump must prepare for “various emergency possibilities,” though he did not detail the scenarios.
Meanwhile, Rubio urged allies in Europe and Asia to help secure the Strait of Hormuz after the war ends. He warned of the potential for Iran to impose an “illegal tariff system” on this vital shipping route.
“As soon as this ends and our objectives are achieved, one immediate challenge is Iran possibly deciding to implement a tariff system in the Strait of Hormuz. This is not only illegal but also unacceptable and dangerous for the world,” he clarified after a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in France.
Separately, the United Nations is forming a task force to ensure the distribution of fertiliser and raw materials continues through the Strait of Hormuz to avoid a global food crisis. UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed that this initiative is not about commercial oil traffic but humanitarian aid.
“This is about fertiliser. If we can’t plant in the next few months, there will be a domino effect of hunger in the future,” Dujarric concluded. (CNN/Z-2)