Rubio says Iranians making ‘outrageous and ridiculous’ demands in negotiations

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that Iran has been making “unacceptable” demands during ongoing talks to end the war, as the United States military reportedly launched another overnight strike on the country’s south. “You have a number of countries that continue to engage them with different ideas, but I wouldn’t say we’re on the verge of a breakthrough,” Rubio told reporters in Florida before heading to a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Paris.

“The president would always prefer to solve this and every problem diplomatically. Sometimes that’s not possible, unfortunately,” he added. “If there’s a chance to do it, we’ll explore it,” he continued. “Right now, it hasn’t been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases, outrageous and ridiculous, and really not realistic.” Asked about Vice President JD Vance’s social media post last week that largely blamed the war for the Republican losses in the midterm elections, Rubio told reporters that US President Donald Trump “identified a very real threat” in Iran and worked to stop the Islamic Republic from pursuing a nuclear weapon.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Newsletter email address Get it By signing up, you agree to the terms “He addressed it even though oftentimes the right thing to do for the country — confronting difficult challenges for the security of our country — doing it isn’t necessarily popular, but necessary,” Rubio said. ???? JUST IN: Sec. Marco Rubio reveals Iran is making "OUTRAGEOUS" demands behind closed doors, talks are NOT productive AT ALL right now "Right now, it hasn't been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases, OUTRAGEOUS and… pic.twitter.com/NfCdwm4gMU Advertisement — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 8, 2026 Rubio said that negotiations are not progressing and acknowledged that the US will take action if needed.

“If there’s a clear and present threat to shipping or to our forces in the region, we have a right to defend ourselves,” he said. The comments came after a US attack on Qeshm island was reported overnight by Iranian media. Navigational aid systems in the south of the Strait of Hormuz were destroyed, and no unauthorized vessels transited the maritime route overnight, an unnamed Revolutionary Guards Navy official told state media. No vital infrastructure or services were impacted, a provincial official told the semi-official Fars news agency, adding that the targeted sites were away from residential and commercial areas.

Amid Qatar’s mediation efforts, Trump will meet on Monday in the Oval Office with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the White House said. Advertisement In September, Iran proposed a seven-day plan to reopen the strait, with demands including ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions, and ending its counter-blockade of Iranian ports. FILE: The Chinese-flagged container shipping vessel Hui Fa transits the Gulf of Oman off the coast of Khor Fakkan in the emirate of Sharjah in the east of the UAE on October 13, 2026. (AFP) It later proposed doing so in just two days, an offer Araghchi repeated in his X post on Sunday.

Trump said on Sunday that a new task force is in place to disrupt land routes into Iran that the US military says are used for shipments of weapons and illicit materials. US Central Command on Saturday announced the formation of a 20-member team to expand on a US naval blockade of Iranian ports during the eight-month war. “Task Force Iron Gate is in full force and effect in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Coupled with history’s greatest Naval Blockade, very little gets into, or out of, Iran!” the president posted on his Truth Social platform.

CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper said in Saturday’s statement that the force “will further constrain Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military.” The team of both civilian and military personnel based in Florida will coordinate with US government agencies on “preventing the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea,” the statement added.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Washington’s latest bid “will fail” and will not bring about economic collapse in the Islamic Republic. Advertisement “The United States will never be able to impose the economic blockade it is pursuing and proposing under various names and through different plans,” Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi said, according to Fars news agency. US President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One at President Donald J. Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, on November 8, 2026. (Alex WROBLEWSKI/AFP) Trump also continued to insist on Sunday that he had no problem with Vance’s assertion that the Iran war and Washington’s ties with Israel cost Republicans the midterms.

However, Trump said that Vance should have also noted — as the president has — that the economic toll of the Iran war has not been enough for him to regret the decision to have launched it in the first place. “A lot of people didn’t like his comments, but not me,” Trump told reporters. “He was right. Other than one thing. He should have made one other statement, which I think is very important. If you had it to do again, would you do it again?

The answer is yes,” Trump said. “This, historically, will go down as one of the best things we ever did because if [Iran] ever had a nuclear weapon, they would blow up the world… Because they’re crazy,” he added. Various regional powers, including Qatar and Pakistan, have been trying for months to bring a definitive halt to the war launched by the United States and Israel in late February in a bid to destabilize Iran’s regime and destroy its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Outright fighting has largely subsided, but Iran continues in its efforts to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, vital to global energy supplies, while the US Navy maintains its own counterblockade of Iranian ports. Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors. Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy; Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.

As a Community member, you’ll also enjoy our DocuNation series of outstanding Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience of our site and podcasts, commenting privileges, and more. CHOOSE YOUR BOOK CHOOSE YOUR BOOK Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this You're a dedicated reader We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month. That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE , as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel Join Our Community Join Our Community Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this Most Popular 1 President Herzog taps Eisenkot to form coalition, but path remains fraught 2 IRGC claims a self-imposed limit on ballistic missile range ‘has been lifted’ 3 Report: PM, Mossad chief planned Iran op just before Israeli election; it was thwarted after US was accidentally tipped off 4 Eisenkot tasked with forming government, vows ‘creative and unconventional’ path to ‘emergency’ coalition 5 Daycare manager, 2 caregivers charged with over 400 acts of abuse against babies, toddlers 6 Leading US Reform rabbi after midterms: The American Jewish ‘Golden Age’ has ended 7 Under fire for urging ‘compromise,’ Liberman says he still wants Haredim to serve 8 Eisenkot stands by mandatory service after Liberman opens door to ultra-Orthodox parties read more: Israel & the Region Marco Rubio 2026 US-Israel war with Iran Donald Trump JD Vance Task Force Iron Gate Qeshm Island If you’d like to comment, join The Times of Israel Community.

JOIN THE TOI COMMUNITY Already a member? Log in here close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register Paying ToI Community members are invited to comment on articles Email address * Please use the following structure: example@domain.com Continue Or Continue with By joining you agree to the terms and conditions Send me The Times of Israel Daily Edition back close popup Register to continue Email address * Change REGISTER Or Continue with back close popup Log in to continue Email address * Something went wrong.

Please try again in a few minutes.. Continue back close popup Sign in or Join The Times of Israel Community Sign in or Register You are currently registered. Please join The Times of Israel Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits Only ToI Community members can comment below articles Email address * Password * Incorrect password. Please try again or choose an option below. Forgot your password? / Send me a login link Continue Sign in without joining Or Continue with close popup Check your email We sent an email to you at .

It has a link that will sign you in. Click the link in that email to complete registration so you can comment. back close popup Join The Times of Israel Community Commenting is available for paying members of The Times of Israel Community only. Please join our Community to comment and enjoy other Community benefits. Email address * Please use the following structure: example@domain.com JOIN NOW! close popup Thank you! Now check your email You are now a member of The Times of Israel Community!

We sent you an email with a login link to . Once you're set up, you can start enjoying Community benefits and commenting.