World will get some good news’: Rubio hints at imminent US-Iran deal to end war
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said that an announcement was possible later in the day over a peace deal with Iran that could formally end the war in West Assaid the emerging deal would address US concerns on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked in response to the US-Israeli attack.
“I do think perhaps there is the possibility that in the next few hours the world will get some good news,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi.
The agreement would also start a “process that can ultimately leave us where the president wants us to be, and that is a world that no longer has to fear or worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon”, he added.
His remarks came after US President Donald Trump said a proposal that included opening the Trump’s post stressed that Hormuz would be re-opened, a development that would bring relief to energy markets after a long Iranian blockade of a crucial waterway that in peacetime carries a fifth of world oil exports.
“An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Notably, Iranian officials confirmed the existence of a draft agreement, but stressed that — contrary to earlier long-standing US demands — talks on the issue of Iran’s contested long-standing US demands — talks on the issue of Iran’s contested nuclear programme have been deferred for 60 days after any deal.There’s been some progress made. Even as I speak to you, there’s some work being done. This issue needs to be solved, as the President said, one way or the other. Iran can never have nuclear weapons,” he said.
The top American diplomat added that Washington’s conditions extended to specific nuclear constraints and regional security concerns.
“The straits need to be opened without tolls. They need to turn over their highly enriched uranium… we need to address the issue of enrichment,” Rubio said, outlining the administration’s firm negotiating posture.In exchange, “according to this draft, passage through the Strait of Hormuz would return to pre-war levels under Iranian management”.
And, Fars said, “sanctions on oil, gas, petrochemicals and their derivatives would be temporarily lifted during the negotiation period so that Iran can freely sell its products”.
Leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain, as well as representatives from Turkey and Pakistan, joined a call with Trump to discuss the deal on Saturday.Pakistan, which mediated historic face-to-face negotiations between US and Iranian delegations in April, hopes to host another round of talks “very soon”, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.
He said Pakistan’s powerful army chief Asim Munir, who visited Tehran on Friday and Saturday, also joined the call, which “provided a useful opportunity… to move the ongoing peace efforts forward to bring lasting peace in the region”.