Rubio Says Iran Is Not Ready for Deal and Will Pay Rising Nightly Price

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday in Manila that Iran is not ready for an agreement with Washington, despite sending indirect messages through third countries seeking talks. He said Tehran repeatedly breaks deals or seeks to change them, but predicted it may become ready soon as U.S. strikes impose a growing nightly cost. Rubio said the administration's goal is a denuclearized Iran that never acquires a nuclear weapon, not regime change. He warned that attacks on Americans and U.S. interests would bring a heavy response, saying Iranian industrial and defense bases, missile launchers and radars have already been badly damaged.