US says Iran deal talks may produce news within days

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said there is a chance Iran could accept a deal to help end the Middle East war, with possible news later on 23 May or within days. He said progress had been made in negotiations, but did not rule out further US attacks on Iran if diplomacy fails. The comments came as Pakistan's army chief arrived in Tehran and Donald Trump stayed in Washington because of what was described as circumstances relating to government.

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Rubio made the remarks while speaking to reporters in New Delhi during his first visit to India. He said there might be news later in the day, but also cautioned that there may not be. He added that work was continuing on the talks as he spoke, and said there was a chance of an announcement later on 23 May, on 24 May or in the following days.

He also repeated US demands that Iran fully open the Strait of Hormuz and hand over highly enriched uranium. The comments point to a sensitive stage in the diplomacy around the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route, and any change in access or control would have implications for regional trade and energy flows.

The demand over highly enriched uranium also underlines the nuclear dimension of the talks, which remains central to the US position. Rubio said Trump's preference was to solve the issue through a negotiated diplomatic solution, but added that the president had made clear the problem would be solved one way or the other. The timing of the remarks also suggests wider regional mediation is under way.

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Pakistan's army chief was in Tehran at the same time, described as part of efforts to bolster mediation. Trump remaining in Washington instead of attending his son's wedding added to speculation that the talks had reached a delicate point. The developments come against the backdrop of the wider Middle East war, which has already drawn in multiple states and armed groups.

The row also sits alongside continuing fighting elsewhere in the region. Lebanon's military said an Israeli strike had targeted an army barracks in the south, wounding a soldier, despite a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel also kept up strikes in Lebanon, issued evacuation warnings for 15 villages, and hit several locations in the south and east.

Those events show that the conflict remains active even as diplomatic efforts around Iran continue. What remains unclear is whether Iran will accept the terms being discussed, and whether any announcement will come later on 23 May or in the following days. It is also not clear how far the negotiations have advanced, or whether the US will resume attacks if no deal is reached.

#Iran #MarcoRubio #StraitofHormuz #diplomacy #MiddleEastwar

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