US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: Diplomatic efforts to end US-Iran conflict have not progressed

Kathmandu. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that diplomatic efforts to end the US-Iran conflict have not progressed much. He said that Iran's demands are 'unacceptable' and added, "So far it has not been very productive because Iran's demands are not only unacceptable, in some cases they are truly impractical." Before leaving to attend the G-7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in France, Rubio said, "I cannot say that we are close to any success." He reiterated that the Trump administration has prioritized a diplomatic solution to the conflict. In an earlier interview on Sunday, US President Donald Trump told CNN that the possibility of the US resuming major military strikes on Iran is 'extremely low' as long as talks are progressing. He did not rule out the possibility of further military action. The US Central Command announced on Saturday that it had formed 'Task Force Iron Gate'. This is a unit of about 20 military and civilian personnel that will coordinate between US government agencies to prevent the movement of advanced weapons and other materials through Iran's land borders and other routes. President Trump wrote on social media on Sunday, "This task force is 'fully active' in Iran and very few goods are moving through or to Iran due to the US Navy blockade."