Rubio Says Reaching an Agreement with Iran is Still Possible Within Days Despite U.S. Strikes

SadaNews - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that reaching an agreement with Iran is still possible, despite new American strikes that threaten the fragile ceasefire between the two sides.

Rubio added to reporters in Jaipur during an official visit to India: "There were some talks in Qatar today, and we will see if we can make any progress. I think there are many discussions taking place about specific points in the initial document, so it will take a few days."

He continued, "The President has expressed a desire to reach an agreement. Either he makes a good deal or makes no deal at all."

The strikes came as senior Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha for the latest round of talks aimed at ending the war that prompted Iran to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy exports.

Rubio affirmed to reporters that "the straits must be open," adding, "They will be opened one way or another, so they must be open."

He described what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz as "illegal, illicit, unsustainable for the world, and unacceptable."

This comes on the heels of the U.S. announcement that it has carried out attacks against rocket launch sites in southern Iran and boats trying to plant mines, endangering the fragile ceasefire and raising doubts about the possibility of reaching an agreement to end the war.

U.S. Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins stated in a statement, "U.S. forces conducted defensive strikes in southern Iran today to protect our forces from threats posed by Iranian forces."

The statement did not provide any details about the strikes, other than that the targets included rocket launch sites and boats attempting to "plant mines."

Iran's official radio and television reported hearing explosions around Bandar Abbas around midnight local time, adding that the situation in the southern coastal city is normal and local authorities are investigating the cause of the explosions.

Hopes for an agreement suffered another blow with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vow to "crush" Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran demands that any peace agreement include a cessation of the ongoing fighting in Lebanon.

Trump stated in a social media post that he expects Iran to hand over its enriched uranium to the United States for destruction, or for it to be destroyed on-site in the presence of international witnesses.

Trump wrote, "Enriched uranium (nuclear dust) will either be delivered immediately to the United States for transportation home and destruction, or better yet, in coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, it will be destroyed on-site or at another acceptable location with the presence of the Atomic Energy Commission or its equivalent as a witness to this process and event."