Rubio: There’s been ‘some slight progress’ in talks to end Iran war

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells reporters at the NATO foreign ministers’ gathering in Sweden that there has been “some slight progress” in talks to end the war in Iran, and reiterates US President Donald Trump’s “disappointment” with the trans-Atlantic alliance.

“There’s been some slight progress. I don’t want to exaggerate it,” Rubio says at a press conference in Helsingborg. “There’s been a little bit of movement and that’s good.”

The US continues to insist that Iran never attain nuclear arms and relinquish control of the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio says, adding that the Islamic Republic was “trying to convince Oman to join them” in setting up a system to charge money from ships traversing the blockaded waterway.

There is “not a country in the world that should accept that” scheme, Rubio says.

Rubio also says Trump’s dismay with America’s allies over a lack of support in the Iran war would need to be “addressed.”

“The president’s views, frankly disappointment, at some of our NATO allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East — they’re well documented — that will have to be addressed, that won’t be solved or addressed today,” Rubio says.

He adds that troop shifts by Washington in Europe were not aimed at punishing allies for a lack of support over Iran.

“The United States continues to have global commitments that it needs to meet in terms of our force deployment, and that constantly requires us to reexamine where we put troops. This is not a punitive thing, it’s just something that’s ongoing,” Rubio says.