Shafaq News- Washington

Engaging Iran in talks does not amount to a concession, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed, framing diplomacy as a test of intent rather than an expectation of success.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rubio said Washington is willing to enter talks to assess whether progress is possible, while remaining skeptical of the outcome. Any dialogue, he added, must address Iran’s ballistic missile program and would proceed only if Tehran demonstrates seriousness.

Rubio also criticized Iran’s political system, arguing it “does not reflect” the will or identity of the Iranian people and accusing the leadership of channeling national resources toward armed groups abroad.

Earlier, Axios reported that negotiations had faltered after Washington rejected proposed changes to the venue and format. A US official later told Reuters that talks are scheduled for February 6 in Muscat, Oman.

Axios subsequently said that the meeting moved forward after appeals from Arab and Muslim leaders, with nine regional states urging the Trump administration to hear Iran’s position.

Iran and the United States had initially discussed holding a meeting in Istanbul with other parties attending as observers. Tehran then sought to move the talks to Muscat and limit them to a bilateral format, aiming to confine discussions to the nuclear file and exclude issues such as ballistic missiles, which remain a priority for Washington and its regional partners.