The key facts

  • Marco Rubio described the US–Iran talks as largely unproductive and called Tehran's demands «unacceptable, outrageous and absurd»
  • On November 6, Ali Bagheri Kani said Iran was not satisfied with «paper commitments» and was waiting for practical steps from the US
  • On the same day, Trump claimed the negotiation process was «going very well»

Rubio's assessment and Tehran's position

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists that the negotiations between Washington and Tehran have so far yielded little results. «So far the talks have not produced much, because Iran's demands are not just unacceptable — in some cases they are outrageous, absurd and completely unrealistic,» he said, as quoted Gazeta.Ru citing RIA Novosti.

Diverging assessments within the US administration

Rubio's statement differs markedly from the position of US President Donald Trump. On November 6, he said that the United States continues to hold talks with Iran and that Washington's relations with Tehran are «going very well.» Thus, the public assessments of the negotiations by the two American officials, made two days apart, are directly opposite: Trump spoke of success, while Rubio spoke of a lack of results.

What Tehran demands

For his part, on November 6, Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that Tehran is not satisfied with «paper commitments» and needs to see practical steps from the United States before undertaking any new diplomatic efforts. Gazeta.Ru also notes that Iran had earlier once again threatened the United States, without disclosing details of that statement.