Iran, India not talking trade: Rubio on Modi-Pezeshkian meet

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday (September 2, 2026) said he did not think India and Iran were talking of a trade deal, and many countries around the world talk to the government in Tehran.

Mr. Rubio’s remarks came during an interview on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox News Radio in response to a question on the meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.

“Well, I don’t think there’s a trade deal between India and Iran. Obviously, there are – countries all develop their own foreign policy, and many countries around the world talk to the Iranian regime,” Mr. Rubio said in response to a remark by Kilmeade that Mr. Modi and Mr. Pezeshkian appeared to set up a trade deal.

“I mean, we’ve met with elements of the Iranian regime as well, in terms of some of these discussions that have occurred and there’s been contact with them,” Mr. Rubio said.

The U.S. Secretary of State said President Donald Trump has made it clear that no country should help Iran evade sanctions.

“No country should be out there helping them create mechanisms by which they can generate revenue that they will then use to sponsor terrorism and try to build a nuclear weapon. And if countries decide to do that, then we’re going to have to sanction them too,” Mr. Rubio said.