Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Nov 9: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (local time) said diplomatic efforts to resolve the US-Iran conflict had made little progress, describing Tehran's demands as "unacceptable" and, in some cases, unrealistic.

"Right now, it hasn't been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable, but in some cases ... really not realistic," Rubio told reporters in Florida before leaving for France to attend a Group of Seven (G7) Foreign Ministers' meeting, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"I wouldn't say we're at the verge of a breakthrough," he said, reiterating that the Trump administration preferred a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump told CNN in a phone interview on Sunday that it was "highly unlikely" the United States would resume large-scale military strikes against Iran as long as negotiations continued to make progress. However, he did not rule out further military action.

Trump said any agreement would depend on Iran accepting stringent conditions concerning its nuclear programme and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

"It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement," he said.

The US Central Command announced on Saturday the formation of Task Force Iron Gate, comprising around 20 military and civilian personnel. The unit has been tasked with coordinating efforts across US government agencies to disrupt the movement of advanced weapons and other materials through Iran's land borders and other routes.

Trump said in a social media post on Sunday that the task force was "in full force and effect" in Iran. He added that, together with the US naval blockade, the operation meant "very little gets into, or out of, Iran."

In his interview with CNN, Trump claimed that the United States had already inflicted severe damage on Iran and that further military action was unlikely to be necessary if negotiations progressed.

He also said the US had identified potential infrastructure targets in Iran, including power plants and bridges, claiming that American forces could destroy 38 bridges within an hour.

"Most likely it will not be necessary," Trump said, adding that Iran wanted to reach an agreement.