Rubio: Iran ‘confident’ of its position in talks

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Tuesday that negotiations to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program will end in failure if the U.S. continues its current strategy.
 
“Iran is governed by a radical Shia cleric whose goal is to trigger an apocalyptic showdown with the West, whether it’s now or five years from now or 10 years from now,” he told reporters following a closed-door Senate Foreign Relations Committee briefing on the talks.
 
{mosads}“The Iranians feel very confident about their position because the way they view, they’re on the ascendancy,” added Rubio, a likely presidential contender in 2016.
 
He said leaders in Tehran believe Western powers are “begging for a deal.”
 
Rubio’s comments came the day after President Obama said negotiations would not be extended past a June 30 deadline to reach a deal, saying it would not be “useful.”
 
The talks have missed two previous self-imposed deadlines.
 
Rubio said he agreed with Obama’s stance “but at the end of the day the negotiations are a tactic that’s being used by the Iranian government to buy time and space to continue their efforts.”
 
He said he was willing to move “right now” on a bill that would reinstate economic sanctions against Iran but was willing to wait until March “if that’s what it takes to get the votes.”