US Secretary of State Rubio: I must content myself with saying that a final result has not yet been reached

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio answered questions from members of the press at the signing ceremony of a civil nuclear agreement reached between the US and Paraguay, alongside Paraguayan Vice President Pedro Alliana.

When asked about when elections are expected to be held in Venezuela, Rubio said, "This is a process. Elections must, of course, be held. However, there is a lot of work to be done to prepare the foundation for the elections. Real freedom of the press must be ensured. Participation of more than one political party must be allowed. National consensus must be achieved, and an electoral commission that will count the votes accurately must be established."

Stating that only six months have passed since Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was removed from office, Rubio said that many developments are taking place simultaneously in both the economy and other areas, and he believes this situation will facilitate the political transition. Rubio added, "I say all this to explain that such developments will not happen overnight. However, our direction is correct."

"The goal of the final agreement is the denuclearization of Iran"

Regarding the question of what the current situation in Iran is and how close an agreement is, Rubio said, "I think we need to address two different issues when talking about an agreement. The first is the comprehensive agreement regarding Iran's nuclear goals. Iran can never possess nuclear weapons. The President has been clear on this matter. Therefore, the goal of the final agreement is the denuclearization of Iran."

Stating that the issue that is currently urgent and being focused on is related to the straits, Rubio said, "Ships are passing through the straits, oil transportation continues, and the straits remain open. At the same time, we are participating in the talks and negotiations being conducted between Oman and Iran to ensure that more ships can pass safely in the short term. At the same time, we are moving toward longer-term talks regarding denuclearization."

Stating that progress has been made in the talks with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said, "I must content myself with saying that progress has been made in these talks, but a final result has not yet been reached. We hope this will happen very soon."

News Source: 12punto