Washington. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that President Donald Trump is ready to talk to any party, including the President of Iran, if it can help eliminate the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and reach a positive outcome. In a conversation with Craig Melvin on NBC News' 'Today' program, Rubio said that at present the meeting between Trump and the Iranian President is not scheduled, but America is prepared for such a possibility.
Rubio said that Trump believes that dialogue between concerned parties is necessary to solve problems. Negotiation does not mean that both parties will ultimately agree with each other, but communication is important to resolve a problem. He said America's main goal is to ensure that Iran can never acquire nuclear weapons.
Iran's nuclear weapons said to be a big threat
The US Secretary of State criticized the Iranian regime's policies, saying Iran cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons given the way it treats its own people and the violence it has perpetrated through its allies in the region.
Rubio said that if there is a possibility of achieving this goal through negotiations or any other positive way, then America would like to move forward on that path.
Rubio's argument on fuel prices
Asked about the rising prices of petrol and diesel in America, Rubio said that the current prices are certainly high, but if Iran had nuclear weapons, the situation could have been more serious. He claimed that in such a situation Iran could be in a position to establish permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz and influence global energy supplies.
Rubio said the US military has worked to secure the southern route through the Strait of Hormuz and more ships are now passing through. He acknowledged that some ships were still being attacked, but according to him most ships were crossing the strait without being attacked and many of the affected ships had also managed to complete their journeys.
Claim of different figures regarding oil supply
When asked about the International Energy Agency's assessment that only about one-fifth the amount of oil is now coming out of Hormuz than when the war began, Rubio said that this figure is based on data that is a few weeks or months old. According to him, at present about 60 to 70 percent of the oil supply through the strait is coming out and this quantity is increasing.
Rubio also blamed an attack by Houthi rebels on a Saudi Arabian pipeline for the recent rise in oil prices. He said Saudi Arabia closed the pipeline after the attack, which has increased concerns about future supply in the market. Rubio linked the Houthis to Iran, saying that they operate on Iran's support.
AI also discussed in the meeting with China
The US Secretary of State also described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an important issue in the context of the meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. He said that AI is such a technology whose development cannot be stopped. The challenge, therefore, is how to create security regulations and a global framework to capture its benefits while simultaneously mitigating its associated risks.
Rubio said that the global discussion about AI should have started a few years ago, but this conversation is happening now. According to him, China is also struggling with its concerns regarding AI.
'America should lead the world in AI'
Rubio said that Trump wants America to lead the world in the field of AI, but while doing so, it will also have to ensure that America is not harmed due to the technology. He said that due to the fast pace of development of AI, creating a security framework for it is more difficult than in the era of nuclear energy.
He said that after the development of nuclear energy, rules and safety measures were prepared to make its use safe. A similar balance must be found in the case of AI, but its fast-changing nature makes it more complex.
Rubio acknowledged that there is no easy answer to this challenge at this time. According to him, America and other countries are looking for ways to control the risks associated with AI while achieving its benefits.