US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said he did not believe India and Iran were discussing a trade deal, while issuing a warning to countries that help Iran find ways around US sanctions.
Rubio was responding to a question about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.
Asked about the possibility that the two leaders were working towards a trade agreement, Rubio said he did not see evidence of such a deal. He noted that countries have their own foreign policies and that governments around the world continue to engage with the Iranian regime.
Speaking on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox News Radio, Rubio said Washington itself had maintained contact with elements of the Iranian regime as part of discussions.
“Well, I don’t think there’s a trade deal between India and Iran. Obviously, there are – countries all develop their own foreign policy, and many countries around the world talk to the Iranian regime,” Rubio said.
Addressing the suggestion that Modi and Pezeshkian appeared to be laying the groundwork for a trade agreement, Rubio added that the US had also engaged with Iranian representatives during various discussions. His remarks came as India continues to maintain diplomatic and economic ties with Tehran.
Rubio then turned to Washington’s broader position on Iran, saying US President Donald Trump had made it clear that countries should not assist Tehran in creating mechanisms to evade American sanctions.
“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,” Rubio said.
“And if countries decide to do that, then we’re going to have to sanction them too,” he added.
Rubio’s comments come as India continues to engage with both Iran and the United States amid the wider war in West Asia.
New Delhi has maintained diplomatic and economic ties with Tehran while also pursuing its relationship with Washington, putting its engagement with Iran under closer US scrutiny.
