Budapest, Web Desk – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that reaching a final agreement with Iran on the nuclear deal is now extremely difficult.
Speaking alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during a joint press conference in Budapest, Rubio cited Iran’s hardline Shiite leadership as the main challenge. “We are negotiating with leaders who base national decisions on religious ideology rather than international politics or geographic realities,” he said.
Rubio emphasized that the United States remains open to diplomatic solutions that address its security concerns but warned against undue optimism. “Historically, reaching a durable, genuine agreement with Iran has proven challenging, and current circumstances remain far from encouraging,” he added.
The first round of talks took place in Muscat, Oman, where both sides met separately with the Omani Foreign Minister to present their respective concerns and demands. The second round of negotiations is expected to commence soon, though Rubio’s remarks have raised renewed doubts over the prospects of success.
Rubio concluded by stressing that while diplomacy remains the preferred path, the complexities of dealing with Iran’s leadership make progress toward a comprehensive nuclear agreement uncertain.
