Rubio: US ready to negotiate with Iran, but Tehran must show seriousness

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington remains ready to engage in talks with Iran aimed at ending the current crisis, but he accused Tehran of not being serious in negotiations. Speaking at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila on Wednesday, Rubio said: “If Iran is serious about negotiations, we are serious as well. But if it is not, we will take whatever action is necessary to protect our interests and those of our allies.” The US secretary of state also warned against any attempt by Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz, saying such a move would set a “very dangerous precedent” for the international system. He said that if a situation emerged in which a country could control an international waterway, impose charges on ships, and target vessels that refuse to pay, “it would create a dangerous precedent that could be repeated in other parts of the world.”Rubio: US ready to negotiate with Iran, but Tehran must show seriousness