Description
Tensions between the US and Iran continue to escalate.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that Iran is "begging" Washington to return to the negotiating table, but said President Donald Trump sees little value in reopening talks at this stage.
"Iran is begging us, both directly and indirectly: 'Let's do a deal. Let's talk,'" Rubio said during the ASEAN summit in Manila.
He accused Tehran of repeatedly failing to honour past agreements, adding that "every night the price gets higher and higher" for Iran.
Rubio also claimed that Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been "suckered" into attacking Red Sea shipping after previously staying out of the regional conflict.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any attack on Iranian infrastructure would trigger a "powerful and decisive response," describing the country's defence doctrine as "an eye for an eye."
The remarks come amid rising tensions in the Gulf and renewed concerns over security in the Strait of Hormuz.
📹️: AFP
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