‘Good news’ in a few hours: Rubio signals progress on Strait of Hormuz crisis, raises hopes of peace deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said progress had been made in ongoing diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran, signalling that negotiations could be moving closer to a breakthrough, though he cautioned that discussions were still underway. 

Speaking during his visit to India, Rubio hinted that developments could emerge in the coming hours and suggested that there may soon be “good news” regarding the evolving Strait situation. “Some progress has been made on the path to peace. I will leave it to the President (Donald Trump),” Rubio said. 

Concerns over Hormuz

Addressing concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio described it as an international waterway that must remain open and not fall under the control of any single country. 

“The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, and what they are doing now is basically threatening to destroy commercial vessels using an international waterway. That is illegal under any concept of international law,” he said. 

The ongoing conflict in West Asia, particularly disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, remains a key concern for Indian financial markets due to its potential impact on fuel supplies, energy prices, the balance of payments, fiscal health and fertiliser imports. 

Iran’s nuclear programme

On Iran’s nuclear programme, Rubio reiterated Washington’s long-standing position that Tehran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. “The ultimate goal is to make sure Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” he said, adding, “Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon.” 

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said a peace deal with Iran had been “largely negotiated” following discussions with Israel and other allies in the region, potentially paving the way for an end to the three-month-long conflict. 

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the final details of the agreement were being discussed ahead of a formal announcement. 

Rubio made the remarks during a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar following delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The press interaction lasted nearly 53 minutes. 

The meeting marked a key engagement in the ongoing high-level diplomatic dialogue between India and the US. The talks also focused on trade and strategic cooperation, with Jaishankar stating that an American delegation would soon visit India to work on the final text of a proposed interim trade agreement between the two countries.