US Secretary of State: "We Will Respond with Alternative Approaches if No Good Agreement Is Reached"

"Clear Proposals Under Discussion"

Optimism Over the Possibility of an Agreement

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed cautious optimism on May 25 (local time) regarding the possibility of reaching an agreement to end hostilities with Iran but stated that if negotiations fail, the United States would seek "alternative approaches."

According to AFP and other outlets, Secretary Rubio, who is visiting India, met with reporters in New Delhi and said, "We must either reach a good agreement or respond in another way," adding, "Before considering alternatives, we will give every possible chance for a diplomatic solution to succeed."

Photo by AFP News Agency, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Rubio.

He also stated, "President Donald Trump is not in a hurry," and, "The President will not accept a bad deal, so let's see what happens." Initially, President Trump had indicated the previous day that an agreement with Iran was imminent, but has since taken a more cautious stance, saying further negotiations are needed.

President Trump also posted on the social networking service Truth Social, saying, "I have instructed the U.S. representatives negotiating an end to hostilities with Iran not to rush into an agreement," and, "Time is on our side." Major foreign media have assessed that the Trump Administration continues to deploy large-scale military assets in the Middle East and maintains the position that, should negotiations break down, airstrikes against Iran could resume.

Nevertheless, Secretary Rubio remained optimistic, saying he expects significant progress in discussions regarding key issues. He stated, "There are very clear proposals on the table when it comes to opening the Strait of Hormuz and setting deadlines for substantial and meaningful negotiations on nuclear issues, considering Iran's capacity to engage in such talks."

Secretary Rubio also confirmed the U.S. government's principled position regarding Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, which could become an obstacle to negotiations with Iran for ending hostilities. He said, "Israel has the right to defend itself," and added, "If Hezbollah attempts to launch or does launch missiles at Israel, Israel has every right to respond."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.