US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that Iran is not ready to reach an agreement but 'may be ready soon,' adding that President Donald Trump's policy is based on the principle of 'a head for every eye,' and that Iran 'will pay a heavy price,' amid continued military escalation and fading hopes for a settlement to end the Iran war.

Rubio, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila, said that 'despite Iran's bravado, it is suffering tremendously and will continue to do so.'

He added: 'We, for our part, are committed to the agreement with Iran, and they may change their minds within days.'

'Iran is begging us.'

In response to a question about Trump's recent threats to 'bomb and destroy' a bridge or power plant every time Iran targets a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said that 'Iran is begging us, directly and indirectly, saying: Let's reach a deal. Let's talk. Let's talk.'

He added that every time the US and Iran reach a ceasefire agreement, 'the people running things there either violate the agreement or want to change it.'

He continued: 'So they will continue to pay the price, and every night that price rises more and more.'

Rubio said: 'So far, it seems they have not come to their senses, so the president sees little point in responding to their initiatives at this stage, because Iran, frankly, is not ready to reach an agreement, or at least not ready for an agreement it will abide by.'

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently described his country's defense doctrine as based on the principle of 'an eye for an eye.'

Araghchi wrote on X late Wednesday evening: 'Any aggression against Iran, including targeting our infrastructure, will provoke a strong and decisive response.'

Rubio responded: 'The president's policy is 'a head for an eye.' I mean, frankly, that's what will happen.'

Strikes for the 12th night

US Central Command said Thursday that its forces had completed the 12th wave of strikes on Iran, targeting 'Iranian military operations centers, naval capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure, aimed at weakening Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.'

US officials said the US military used a B-1 long-range bomber in the strikes it launched on Iran Tuesday for the first time since the resumption of fighting with Iran 12 days ago.

Amid the continued US military buildup in the region, President Donald Trump is still considering a return to large-scale combat operations against Iran. US and Israeli officials say that could happen 'within days.'

The B-1 bomber took off to carry out its mission from an air base in the United Kingdom, and was tracked via aircraft tracking websites, according to Axios.

The US conducted several missions using B-1 bombers during Operation 'Epic Anger,' targeting missile bases, command centers, weapons storage facilities, and air defense systems.

Despite the expansion of US strikes, the Iranian regime does not appear to have changed its position on the Strait of Hormuz. Some US defense officials said Iran's military capability around the Strait of Hormuz is 'virtually nonexistent,' while others believe Iran is still capable of attacking ships in the region.

On Wednesday, Trump threatened to bomb bridges and power plants, including inside Tehran, if Iran attacks more ships in the Strait of Hormuz.