WANA (May 25) – U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a mixed message regarding Iran on Monday, combining calls for diplomacy with warnings of potential confrontation, once again highlighting Washington’s dual-track approach toward Tehran’s nuclear file.

 

In his latest remarks, Rubio said the United States still considers diplomacy the preferred path and would exhaust all opportunities for a negotiated settlement before turning to alternative options.

 

“The United States will use every opportunity to reach a diplomatic agreement with Iran before resorting to other options,” Rubio said.

 

He also added, “Before moving toward alternative measures, we will give diplomacy every chance to succeed.”

 

However, Rubio later adopted a more confrontational tone, warning that Washington could pursue a different course if negotiations fail.

 

“Either we reach a good agreement with Iran, or we will be forced to deal with this issue in another way,” he stated.

 

At the same time, Rubio spoke of a “strong possibility” that Tehran and Washington could enter time-limited negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program. He also claimed there were “good chances” of reaching an interim agreement related to the nuclear issue.

 

According to Rubio, a deal with Iran could still be achieved “by Monday,” suggesting that discussions may have entered a critical phase.

 

His remarks came after a senior official in the Trump administration told CNN that finalizing a memorandum of understanding between Tehran and Washington could take several more days. The official reportedly attributed the delay to Iran’s internal process for reviewing and approving the draft agreement.

 

Rubio’s latest comments reflect a familiar pattern in Washington’s approach toward Iran, where offers of diplomacy are repeatedly paired with threats of increased pressure and confrontation — a strategy that many analysts view as a sign of continued uncertainty in U.S. policy toward Tehran.