Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy corridor disrupted by the current crisis. Speaking in India, Rubio said the waterway “has to be open,” calling its closure “unlawful, illegal, unsustainable for the world, and unacceptable.”
Rubio confirmed that American and Iranian officials were holding talks in Qatar and working through the language of a preliminary agreement. He said President Donald Trump’s stance is unchanged: Washington wants “a good deal or no deal.” Completing a final text, Rubio added, may still take more time.
While diplomacy continued, U.S. Central Command announced “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran. Capt. Tim Hawkins said the operation targeted missile facilities and Iranian vessels accused of trying to place naval mines near key maritime routes. Officials said the strikes were meant to protect U.S. personnel and assets while preserving the broader cease-fire. A senior defense official said American aircraft and naval forces near the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea had faced threats from Iranian surface-to-air missile systems. The strikes took place near the Iranian naval hub of Bandar Abbas.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran and Washington had reached understanding on several issues but that no final agreement had been signed. He accused the United States of shifting positions during the talks. President Trump said any future pact with Iran would be “good and proper,” while again criticizing the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under President Barack Obama. Trump argued that the earlier accord gave Iran economic relief without a lasting guarantee that it would not pursue a nuclear weapons capability.
A senior U.S. official said negotiators have advanced a framework that would require Iran to eliminate its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and accept major limits on future enrichment. In return, the United States would end its naval blockade and begin a phased reduction of economic sanctions.
Officials said the main political issues have largely been settled in principle. Technical details, verification procedures, and enforcement mechanisms remain under discussion. Washington’s priority is a long-term, verifiable agreement that keeps Iran within agreed nuclear limits and includes strong enforcement tools. The administration believes recent military pressure has increased Iran’s willingness to negotiate. If completed, the deal would impose tighter restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program than the 2015 accord, reflecting the Trump administration’s demand for a broader and more enforceable settlement.
The combination of talks in Qatar and limited military action near Bandar Abbas underscores a dual-track approach: keep diplomacy alive while using force to defend U.S. forces and keep pressure on Tehran to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
