U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that negotiations on a deal with Iran could "take a few days," dampening hopes for a swift end to the conflict a day after U.S. forces carried out what Washington called defensive strikes in southern Iran, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
Describing the strikes on targets including vessels attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, Rubio said the Strait of Hormuz must be open "one way or the other."
"The straits have to be open, they're going to be open one way or the other, so they have to be open," Rubio told reporters on his plane in Jaipur, India.
Despite a ceasefire in place since early April, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday it had carried out new strikes aimed "at protecting our forces from threats emanating from Iranian forces."
The US and Israel launched strikes on Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz26.05.26, 02:48
Iran said on Monday it had shot down an "enemy" stealth drone using a new air defense system, Iranian news agencies reported, without specifying where it came from.
The U.S. attacks occurred while Iran's chief negotiator and the country's foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister regarding a potential deal with the U.S. to end the three-month war, an official briefed on the visit said.
Rubio previously told reporters in New Delhi that the U.S. would give diplomacy every chance to succeed before considering whether to deal with Iran in "another way."
He said there is a "pretty substantial thing" on the table, referring to negotiations on reopening the strait and "very real, significant, time-limited negotiations on the nuclear issue."
Iran states deal with US is "not imminent" despite progress25.05.26, 13:57
In a long post on Truth Social on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were going "great" but warned of new attacks if they fail. "It will be a Big Deal for everyone, or no deal at all," he wrote.
Negotiations with Iran are progressing excellently - Trump25.05.26, 19:51
In another sign of regional tension, the publication writes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel would intensify strikes against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.
Shortly thereafter, the Israeli military said it was attacking Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley and other areas.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in mid-April, but Israel continues airstrikes that it says are acts of self-defense against Hezbollah, which was not a party to the truce.
Talks in Doha
An official briefed on the Iranians' visit to Doha told Reuters that discussions focused on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, while the head of Iran's central bank was present to discuss the potential release of frozen Iranian funds as part of a final deal.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei previously stated that nuclear issues would only be discussed after a framework agreement is reached.
Trump has stated that his primary goal in the war is to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons with its highly enriched uranium. Tehran has consistently denied having plans to do so.
Baghaei stated that a potential deal with Iran does not contain specific details regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas typically flows.
Iran would not charge a fee for the passage of vessels, but he said fees would be charged for services such as navigation and environmental protection measures, according to a protocol to be agreed upon with Oman, which is located on the opposite side of the waterway.
Citing a diplomatic source in the Middle East, the Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported that the U.S. and Iran are discussing a plan to open the strait approximately 30 days after reaching an agreement to end hostilities.
Iran may open the Strait of Hormuz 30 days after a peace deal with the US26.05.26, 00:16
Since the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, only a few dozen vessels have been passing through the Strait of Hormuz, compared to 125-140 vessels daily previously.
The standoff has caused a sharp rise in oil prices and increased the cost of fuel, fertilizers, and food.
Brent crude oil prices rise again following US strikes on Iran26.05.26, 07:59