US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted at a possible breakthrough in the ongoing Iran conflict during his India visit on Sunday, saying the world could receive “good news” within hours regarding a peace agreement being negotiated in West Asia.
Speaking at a joint press conference alongside External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Delhi, Rubio suggested that discussions surrounding the proposed US-Iran understanding were moving in a positive direction.“I do think perhaps there is the possibility that in the next few hours the world will get some good news,” Rubio said during the nearly 53-minute briefing.According to Rubio, the emerging agreement could help ease tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes. Iran had largely blocked movement through the strategic waterway following the joint US-Israel military strikes earlier this year, escalating fears of a wider regional conflict and disrupting global energy markets.Rubio said the proposed understanding was aimed not only at reopening maritime movement but also at addressing long-term concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.“The ultimate goal is to make sure Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” he said.Calling the Strait of Hormuz an “international waterway”, Rubio accused Tehran of threatening commercial shipping in violation of international law.“What they are doing now is basically threatening to destroy commercial vessels using an international waterway.
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That is illegal under any concept of international law,” he added.Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump claimed that a peace deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated” following discussions with Israel and regional allies. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said final details were being worked out ahead of a formal announcement.Trump also revealed that he had spoken separately with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and described the conversation as positive.The proposed agreement, according to Trump, would include reopening the Strait of Hormuz under what he called a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE”.However, Iran quickly pushed back against Trump’s claims.
Iranian officials reportedly clarified that while Tehran may allow ship movement to return to pre-war levels, it would still maintain control over Hormuz and had not agreed to unrestricted passage as it existed before the conflict.Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also dismissed Trump’s remarks as “propaganda”, according to reports carried by Fars news agency.The IRGC further stated that no commitment had been made regarding Iran’s nuclear programme and claimed the issue had not even been discussed at the current stage of negotiations.The conflicting statements underline the uncertainty still surrounding the proposed agreement, even as Washington signals optimism over a possible diplomatic breakthrough.For now, global attention remains fixed on whether the expected announcement will actually lead to a reduction in tensions across the region — or simply become another temporary pause in a conflict that has already shaken oil markets and international diplomacy for months.
