HELSINKI, May 22– U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday in Helsingborg, Sweden, that talks with Iran had made “slight progress,” while stressing that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) must be “good for everyone” involved.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Rubio was cautious about the prospects for an agreement with Iran, saying only that there had been “slight progress” in related efforts, Swedish news agency TT reported.
Rubio also sharply criticized Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran was seeking to establish a tolling system in the international waterway and trying to bring Oman into the arrangement. “No country in the world should accept that,” he was quoted as saying.
On NATO, Rubio said the alliance, like any other alliance, must benefit all parties involved.
“Like any alliance, it has to be good for everyone who’s involved. There has to be a clear understanding of what the expectations are,” Rubio said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Friday that the alliance would continue moving toward a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO that would be less dependent on any single ally.
The informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers is being held in Helsingborg on Thursday and Friday. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
