- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he does not believe India and Iran are currently negotiating a trade deal, responding to PM Modi's meeting with Iranian President on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek.
- PM Modi said on X that he met President Masoud Pezeshkian and reiterated India's commitment to strengthening its long-standing friendship with Iran, aiming to expand and diversify the trade basket.
- The Ministry of External Affairs described the meeting as 'fruitful' and said the leaders reviewed bilateral relations and recent developments in West Asia.
- Rubio warned that countries helping Iran generate revenue could face sanctions, stating, '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's remarks came during an interview on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox News Radio in response to a question on the meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.
- Rubio acknowledged that countries develop their own foreign policies and many talk to the Iranian regime, but stressed that no country should help Iran evade sanctions or generate revenue used for terrorism or nuclear weapons.
- Rubio noted that the US has also met with elements of the Iranian regime, saying, 'I mean, we've met with elements of the Iranian regime as well.'
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed skepticism about a potential trade deal between India and Iran after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek. Rubio stated, "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."126
Rubio's comments were made during an interview on *The Brian Kilmeade Show* on *Fox News Radio*, where he reiterated that the Trump administration has made it clear that no country should help Iran evade sanctions. He warned, "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. And if countries decide to do that, then we're going to have to sanction them too."
The meeting between Modi and Pezeshkian was described as “fruitful” by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which noted that the leaders reviewed bilateral relations and recent developments in West Asia. Modi emphasized India's commitment to strengthening ties with Iran, stating, “We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come.”
The Indian government has consistently advocated for addressing regional issues through “dialogue and diplomacy”, with Modi highlighting the need for peace and stability in the region.
“Rubio's remarks came on Fox News Radio's The Brian Kilmeade Show, where he noted the US has also met with elements of the Iranian regime. He reiterated President Trump's stance that no country should help Iran generate revenue used for terrorism or nuclear weapons, warning of sanctions for violators.”
