22/05/2026
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22/05/2026
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaks during the International Women of Courage award ceremony on April 1, at the State Department in Washington. (AP)
TEL AVIV, (AP), May 22: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that “slight progress” was made during talks with Iran as Pakistan’s army chief traveled to Tehran in a renewed effort to mediate a peace deal and uncertainty loomed over whether war will resume.
Rubio spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because “serious negotiations” were underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.
The secretary of state made the comment ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the military alliance discussed what role it could play in helping police the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over.
Rubio said he did not want to exaggerate the progress, saying there had been “a little bit of movement and that’s good.” He said the conversations were ongoing. In recent weeks there have been repeated claims of progress, but a deal has stayed out of reach.
Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. But he’s also previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to continue, only to turn around and launch strikes. That happened at the war’s outset, when he ordered strikes in late February shortly after indicating he would let talks play out.
The president said he called off attacks on Iran this week at the request of allies in the Middle East, including the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
