US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said a deal to end the war with Iran could be reached “today”, while stressing that Israel retains the right to defend itself against attacks.
Speaking in New Delhi on Monday, Rubio said expectations should be kept in check. “We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today; I wouldn’t read too much into it,” he told reporters, referring to ongoing negotiations over a potential agreement.
He said discussions included proposals to reopen key shipping routes. “We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits, get the straits open,” he said as he departed the Indian capital, where he is on an official visit.
Rubio added that the plan had broad regional backing. “It has a lot of support in the Gulf… every country that we’ve walked through it understands it’s not just very reasonable, but it’s the right thing for the world to get done,” he said.
He also expressed confidence that Iran could enter what he described as a “very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter”.
His comments came shortly after United States President Donald Trump said he had told negotiators not to “rush” a deal, signalling a more cautious approach.
“He’s not in a hurry, he’s not going to make a bad deal, and the president’s not going to make a bad agreement,” Rubio said of Trump.
Rubio also reiterated Washington’s position on Israel’s security, saying it has the right to defend itself. “Israel always has a right to protect itself,” he said.
He added that this principle applied during the ceasefire period as well, including responses to attacks. “If Hezbollah is going to launch missiles or launches missiles at them, Israel has every right to respond to that, or to prevent that from happening,” he said. “That’s always been understood. It’s being understood during the ceasefire.”
The war erupted after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 February, prompting Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region. Washington and Tehran have observed a ceasefire since 8 April.
