US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has dismissed suggestions that India was looking to enter a trade agreement with Iran following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. The Team Trump member, however, warned nations against helping Iran evade American sanctions, saying they could themselves face US penalties in doing so.
Rubio's remarks came amid reports claiming New Delhi and Tehran appear to be moving towards a trade deal following PM Modi and Pezeshkian's meeting.
"Well, I don't think there's a trade deal between India and Iran," Rubio said in an interview with The Brian Kilmeade Show.
He acknowledged that countries pursued independent foreign policies and maintained contacts with Tehran. Rubio noted that Washington itself had communicated with representatives of the Iranian government.
"Obviously, there are -- countries all develop their own foreign policy, and many countries around the world talk to the Iranian regime. I mean, we've met with elements of the Iranian regime as well, in terms of some of these discussions that have occurred and there's been contact with them," he said.
Rubio Reiterates Trump's Threat
Rubio, however, reiterated US President Donald Trump's earlier comment and warned that no country should assist Tehran in bypassing sanctions or establishing channels to earn revenue.
"I think what ultimately happens though is -- and the President's been very clear -- is no country should be helping Iran evade sanctions," he said.
"No country should be out there helping them create mechanisms by which they can generate revenue that they will then use to sponsor terrorism and try to build a nuclear weapon. And if countries decide to do that, then we're going to have to sanction them too."
'No Nukes For Iran'
The Trump administration official said preventing Tehran from possessing a nuclear weapon remains the main objective of the Trump administration.
"Iran will never be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon, certainly not as long as President Trump is in office," he said.
The Secretary of State said Washington's primary means of pressuring Tehran remained economic, but it reserved the right to use military force when it considered such action necessary.
"As long as they continue to endeavour or claim to want one, they're going to pay a price for it, and that price is going to be primarily economic. But we reserve the right, as we said, to take military action when necessary -- not just to protect ourselves but to prevent them from being able to threaten others as well," he said.
Rubio also accused Tehran of using its financial resources to support armed groups rather than improve the lives of Iranians.
"They want money for two things -- to sponsor terrorism and ultimately to have a nuclear weapon," he said. "And we can't allow that to happen."
Fighting In Iran
Iran and the United States continued trading threats after some of the heaviest fighting in weeks engulfed the Middle East, deepening the foes' stalemate six months into the war. President Trump said US forces staged a "very heavy attack" on Iranian targets overnight and are "prepared to do another one any time we want."
Tehran's security chief warned that Iran had adopted a "new strategy" in the war that began in late February with US-Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic.
"You will soon see that Iran's new strategy on the battlefield, in diplomacy and in confronting the economic blockade will shatter your foundations," Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei wrote on X.
Washington has vowed to ramp up economic pressure on Iran, threatening its allies with sanctions.
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