U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that Washington will pursue all available diplomatic channels with Iran and that negotiators appear close to a framework agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping. Rubio, speaking to reporters while visiting New Delhi, said diplomacy is the preferred path but cautioned that the United States has "alternatives" should talks falter.
"We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the Strait," Rubio said. He added that the outcome will be either a "good agreement" or the matter will have to be addressed by other means, and emphasized a preference for a negotiated solution.
Rubio reiterated a line attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump, saying the president "is not going to make a bad deal," and restated the administration's demand that Iran not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon. According to Rubio, Washington is awaiting a response from Tehran on the proposed framework, and he said the plan had "a lot of support" across the Gulf and beyond.
The senator's remarks followed comments from Trump over the weekend indicating progress in talks with Iran and suggesting that a framework deal was close. Later, however, Trump signaled he was not rushing to sign any agreement - a stance Rubio echoed on Monday.
Separately, Rubio said the United States is working on a distinct set of negotiations aimed at an Israel-Lebanon peace arrangement, but he warned that the presence and actions of Hezbollah are complicating those talks.
State media in Iran said over the weekend that talks with the United States were ongoing, while noting that developments were not as conclusive as some U.S. statements had suggested. Reporting from Axios over the weekend outlined elements reportedly contained in the U.S.-Iran framework: an extension of the current ceasefire by 60 days, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, and the resumption of Iranian oil exports.
According to the draft described in those reports, the United States would lift its blockade of Iranian ports and permit Tehran to sell oil on international markets. The draft also reportedly included a U.S. demand that Iran commit to not pursuing nuclear weapons and enter negotiations about its future uranium enrichment program. The reporting notes that Iran has pledged not to develop a nuclear weapon while resisting U.S. demands that it surrender its enriched uranium stockpile.
Two issues have been central to the most recent round of hostilities between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other: Iran's nuclear program and its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran effectively halted traffic through the strait in late-February, a move that disrupted roughly a fifth of global oil supply. While shipping data have shown some tankers transiting the strait in recent weeks, throughput remains only a fraction of levels seen before the outbreak of hostilities.
In addition, Iran has been reported to be preparing measures that would impose tolls on commercial vessels using the Strait of Hormuz. Market responses were swift: oil prices fell sharply on Monday amid growing optimism about a potential peace deal, and risk-sensitive assets along with gold experienced rallies.
Assessment
The statements by Rubio indicate that U.S. officials see a viable diplomatic path to restoring commercial navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and normalizing some aspects of energy trade with Iran, while simultaneously preserving the option to pursue non-diplomatic measures if Iran rejects the proposed framework. Tehran's response remains pending, and Iranian state media cautioned that progress is not yet finalized.