President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other senior officials are pressing to finish the terms of a possible agreement to end the war with Iran. Rubio restated the U.S. warning that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened “one way or the other” when a reporter asked him about American strikes on Iran.
“The straits have to be open, they’re going to be open,” Rubio said during a trip to India. “What’s happening there is unlawful, it’s illegal, it’s unsustainable for the world, it’s unacceptable.”
He pointed to talks underway in Qatar. “There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress,” he said. “I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days. The president expressed his desire to make it. He’s either going to make a good deal or no deal.”
The diplomacy is unfolding against a continuing military standoff. Dozens of American warplanes and nearly two dozen Navy warships, including two aircraft carriers and their escorts, are enforcing a blockade of vessels trying to enter or leave Iranian ports in and around the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. A senior U.S. military official said some of those forces were threatened by Iranian surface-to-air missiles. American and Iranian forces have clashed in other ways since a cease-fire took effect about six weeks ago. Monday’s strikes came as Iranian officials gathered in Qatar for negotiations on ending the war.
Iran said Monday that Tehran and Washington have reached understandings on many of the issues under discussion, while cautioning that a final agreement is not close. “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said at a weekly briefing. “But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent—no one can make such a claim.” He accused Washington of shifting its positions.
Under the outline being discussed, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade of the waterway. If Iran agreed to reduce its nuclear enrichment, Washington would also be prepared to ease sanctions. A source familiar with the talks said most participants agree on the basic ideas and that the Trump administration is satisfied with the direction of the negotiations, even as the remaining details are still being settled. The official said Iran appears more willing to compromise now than it was before the military operation. Rubio’s comments left the outcome open: progress on wording could take several more days, and the White House is framing the choice as a good deal or no deal at all.
