US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there had been “slight progress” in talks with Iran, even as questions remain about whether a permanent deal can be reached or if the war will resume.
Rubio’s comments came days after President Donald Trump announced he had postponed a planned major military strike on Iran, citing ongoing “serious negotiations.” Trump has repeatedly threatened to end the fragile ceasefire reached in mid-April if Iran does not agree to terms acceptable to Washington.
Pakistan Continues Mediation Role
Pakistan has been actively involved in trying to keep diplomatic channels open. Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was traveling to Tehran on Friday for a third round of talks this week with Iranian leaders, according to Pakistani officials.Munir was joined by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who has already met with Iranian officials twice in the past week. Pakistan previously hosted the only known face-to-face talks between US and Iranian representatives in Islamabad last month.
Major obstacles continue to block a final agreement. The two sides remain divided over Iran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil and gas shipments.
Iran has largely blocked transit through the strait since the early days of the war, driving up energy prices worldwide. The US has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports and has redirected dozens of commercial vessels.At a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden, Rubio discussed plans for reopening the strait once the conflict ends. He said there needs to be a “Plan B” if talks fail.
“Someone’s going to have to do something about it, OK?” Rubio said, adding that Iran was not going to “voluntarily reopen” the strait.
Regional Strikes Add Complexity
The situation is further complicated by reported strikes carried out by Gulf Arab states. According to regional officials and a Western diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates separately launched attacks on Iranian targets and Iran-backed militias in Iraq during the conflict.The strikes reportedly targeted military facilities, missile launchers, and drone sites. One official said Saudi Arabia acted after assessing that many drone attacks on its territory originated from Iraq. The UAE pushed for a collective Gulf response early in the war.Iran has not publicly commented on these reported strikes.
Fragile Ceasefire Holds for Now
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