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Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Rubio said there was progress in US-Iran discussions related to the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear programme.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio interacts with the media before attending a reception at Roosevelt House inside the US Embassy premises. (PTI Image)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted that the US-Iran talks have entered a decisive phase as the West Asia conflict is set to complete three months, adding that a diplomatic breakthrough is expected to come as soon as Saturday.
Speaking to reporters during his India visit, Rubio said discussions related to the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear programme were ongoing as the talks reached a critical phase, with Pakistan’s Army Chief arriving in Tehran and US President Donald Trump skipping his son’s wedding due to “circumstances pertaining to government.”
Rubio said there had been progress in negotiations but did not rule out Trump resuming attacks on Iran. “There might be some news a little later today. There may not be. I hope there will be,” he told reporters.
“There’s been some progress done, some progress made. Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say,” he added.
Iran Says Gaps Still Remain
However, the Iranian foreign ministry also said that a draft deal might at last be close. Tehran said gaps remain between the parties, and the dispute over its nuclear programme would not be part of the initial talks.
“Our intention was first to draft a memorandum of understanding, a kind of framework agreement composed of 14 clauses,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on state television.
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had warned earlier that Washington would face a tough response if it resumes hostilities, after US media reports raised the prospect of new strikes and Iranian officials accused the US side of making “excessive demands”.
“Our armed forces have rebuilt themselves during the ceasefire period in such a way that if Trump commits another act of folly and restarts the war, it will certainly be more crushing and bitter for the United States than on the first day of the war,” Ghalibaf posted on social media.
This came amid reports that Washington is planning to resume strikes against Iran. CBS News reported that the Trump administration is preparing for a “fresh round” of military strikes on Iran, with the president increasingly inclined to approve major new operations unless there is a dramatic diplomatic breakthrough within the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly shut down portions of its western airspace until Monday morning through a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), intensifying speculation over possible military action in the region.
(with inputs from AFP)
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