Rubio Rips Iran’s ‘Outrageous’ Demands To Reopen Strait Of Hormuz As Trump Meets Key Mediator

President Donald Trump is meeting with Qatar’s prime minister on Monday — and what happens between the two leaders could help decide whether the war with Iran winds down or picks back up.

Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has been the main go-between for the U.S. and Iran for most of the war, according to Reuters. He is also expected to meet with Vice President JD Vance, who led the talks behind the brief truce in June.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters Sunday that he did not see a deal coming any time soon, CNN reported.

“Right now, it hasn’t been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic,” Rubio said.

Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. ends its blockade of Iranian ports, but U.S. and Gulf officials told Reuters they do not think an agreement is close. The war has caused energy shortages around the world.

Normally, roughly a fifth of the oil the world consumes passes through the strait, which Iran has restricted since the war began, Agence France-Presse reported.

Iranian state media claimed that the U.S. struck Qeshm Island overnight, Reuters reported, though the U.S. has not commented on it.

The White House and U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

In a phone call with CNN on Sunday, Trump said that new strikes on Iran are “highly unlikely” as long as negotiations continue to make progress.