Rubio: Agreement to end war with Iran could be reached 'today', Trump urges US negotiators not to rush

Rubio: Agreement to end war with Iran could be reached 'today', Trump urges US negotiators not to rush

Published May 25, 2026, 00:48 GMT

Last updated one hour ago

Reading time: 6 minutes

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that an agreement to end the war with Iran could be reached 'today', adding that Israel has the right to defend itself against any attack.

Rubio pointed to the potential agreement in New Delhi, saying: "We thought we might get some news last night, and perhaps today, but it should not be over-interpreted."

Rubio stressed that the United States would choose either to reach a good agreement with Iran or deal with it 'in another way', and that the United States would give diplomacy every possible chance to succeed before resorting to 'alternatives'.

He added to reporters as he left the Indian capital, where he was on an official visit: "Israel always has the right to protect itself. If Hezbollah fires rockets or fires them at it, Israel has every right to respond."

He explained: "We have what I believe is a very solid agreement on the table regarding their ability to open the straits, and this agreement has significant support in the Gulf; every country we have negotiated with realizes that it is not only reasonable but the right thing for the world to achieve."

Rubio also expressed confidence that Iran 'will enter into serious, important, and time-limited negotiations on the nuclear file'.

Rubio had previously told The New York Times that the agreement with Iran had regional support, but a nuclear agreement could not be reached 'in a hurry within 72 hours'.

He said: "We now have seven or eight countries in the region supporting this approach, and we are ready to move forward with it."

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He had previously hinted at good news regarding the Strait of Hormuz, saying that progress made in the last 48 hours - if it bears fruit - could lead to 'the full opening of the strait without fees'.

Rubio's statements came on Monday, after US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he had instructed negotiators 'not to rush into an agreement' with Iran, following reports that an agreement was imminent.

Rubio said of Trump: "He is not in a hurry, he will not make a bad deal, and the President will not make a bad agreement."

Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social: "If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and appropriate deal," adding that it "has not been fully negotiated yet."

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At the same time, Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported on Sunday that its information indicates that the main points of a potential agreement are still 'undecided at the moment', including the issue of frozen Iranian assets.

According to American media, the agreement under discussion includes an extension of the ceasefire for 60 days, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and continued negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.

Some reports indicate that the agreement will also include Iran's handover of highly enriched uranium.

In a post on the 'Truth Social' platform, Trump said that the negotiations "are proceeding in an organized and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into an agreement, as time is on our side."

He stressed that "both sides must be patient and ensure the correctness of the agreement. There is no room for mistakes!"

Trump also stated that Iran 'must realize' that it cannot develop a nuclear weapon, a position he has repeated many times, and which is supported by Israel and its Western allies.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of Trump, said on Sunday that he had agreed with the President that 'any final agreement with Iran must completely eliminate the nuclear threat'.

Trump said that the blockade imposed by Washington on Iranian ports, implemented since early April, will remain 'in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, approved, and signed'.

Trump had stated on Saturday that the agreement 'has been largely reached', sparking speculation that it could be announced soon.

Trump: Negotiations on the agreement with Iran 'have not been fully completed yet'

Points of Contention

On the other hand, Iranian media reported 'one or two' points of disagreement in the potential agreement.

Iranian officials recently indicated progress in the talks, but Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei stated that this does not mean agreements have been reached on key issues.

Baghaei added that the two sides are 'very close and very far' from reaching an agreement.

According to American media, the proposed agreement is not a final settlement, but leaves some thorny issues for later negotiation, including the scope and timing of the lifting of sanctions imposed on Iran, the release of frozen Iranian funds, and Washington's demands for Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions.

Baghaei had told state television on Saturday that Iran is finalizing a 'memorandum of understanding' that would allow for further talks until 'a final agreement is ultimately reached'.

Baghaei indicated in his statements that work is underway on a 14-point memorandum of understanding, which specifically provides for the end of the war on all fronts, with the search for contentious points, most notably the nuclear file, to be postponed to a later stage ranging from 30 to 60 days.

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Disagreement continues between the United States and Iran on key issues

'Iran is ready to reassure the world'

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told state television that Tehran 'remains ready to reassure the world that it does not seek to acquire nuclear weapons', but it is not yet clear whether this commitment will be included in the text of the agreement.

According to Iran's Fars News Agency, 'sanctions on oil, gas, petrochemicals and their derivatives will be temporarily lifted during the negotiation period, so that Iran can sell its products freely'.

Leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Bahrain, in addition to representatives from Turkey and Pakistan, joined a phone call with Trump on Saturday to discuss the agreement.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, whose country is mediating historic direct talks between US and Iranian delegations in April, expressed hope of hosting another round of talks 'very soon'.

He added that Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir, who visited Tehran on Friday and Saturday, also joined the call, which 'provided a valuable opportunity to advance ongoing peace efforts towards lasting peace in the region'.

Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also mediating the talks, said that the recent negotiations 'are encouraging' that reaching a positive outcome 'is within reach'.

'Historic Mistake'

In the United States, the proposed agreement has caused division among Republicans, with some considering it too lenient on Iran.

The United States and its allies suspect that Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists that its nuclear program is purely peaceful.

Iran is believed to possess about 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, a material that can be used to produce nuclear energy, as well as in weapons manufacturing when sufficiently enriched.

Most parties have adhered to the ceasefire reached in April to facilitate negotiations, despite occasional exchanges of fire.