Rubio says U.S. prepared for later nuclear talks if Iran opens Hormuz Strait

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was prepared to enter "into very serious talks" about Iran's nuclear program if Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported on Sunday.



The remarks suggested that Washington may take a phased approach and accept an interim agreement that did not immediately address Iran's nuclear program, according to the report.



"You can't do a nuclear thing in 72 hours on the back of a napkin," Rubio told the newspaper in a brief interview during his visit to New Delhi.



"The straits have to be immediately reopened, and then we will enter, under agreed-to parameters, into very serious talks about enrichment, about the highly enriched uranium and about their pledge to never have nuclear weapons," Rubio said.



The state secretary suggested that the United States could renew its threats to attack Iran if the negotiations do not bear fruit within two months.