IRAN WAR: U.S. has 'pretty solid deal' on table, says Rubio
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the United States and Iran have a “pretty solid” draft deal “on the table” to end the conflict in the Middle East and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio said the U.S. will have either have a good agreement or deal with Iran in “another way.”
He said there was a “pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the strait, get the strait open, enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter, and hopefully we can pull it off.”
This comes after President Donald Trump first announced on the weekend that a ceasefire deal with Iran was “largely negotiated,” then stating the U.S. will not “rush into a deal” with Tehran.
Rubio’s comments come as oil prices hit two-week lows amid optimism that a peace deal will be reached soon.
Here’s the latest on the Iran war on Monday:
Iran supreme leader injuries revealed
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, reportedly sustained “superficial injuries” to his face, head and legs during the Feb. 28 airstrike that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Health Ministry said.
Iran’s Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour said the younger Khamenei’s limbs were not amputated, and that his injuries were not major and didn’t require special treatment, as reported by state-affiliated ILNA news agency, per CNN .
Kermanpour said Khamenei was released from hospital the next day.
Last month, the New York Times reported that Khamenei’s face and lips were severely burned and one leg had been operated on three times. Iran officials have repeatedly insisted that Khamenei was in good health since the war started.
Trump wants Middle East to join Abraham Accords
In a Monday Truth Social post , President Trump has “mandatorily” requested that countries in the Middle East sign the Abraham Accords after a deal to end the Iran war is reached, while also threatening “bigger and stronger” military action if an agreement to end the conflict isn’t reached.
The Abraham Accords are a series of bilateral agreements brokered by the U.S. to normalize diplomatic, economic, and security relations between Israel and several Arab nations . Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed it in September 2020.
“I am mandatorily requesting that all Countries immediately sign the Abraham Accords, and that, if Iran signs its Agreement with me, as President of the United States of America, it would be an Honor to have them also be part of this unparalleled World Coalition,” Trump said.
Trump said the matter had been discussed during calls with Middle Eastern leaders and that joining the Abraham Accords should be required, CNN reported.
“Negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran are proceeding nicely! It will only be a Great Deal for all or, no Deal at all — Back to the Battlefront and shooting, but bigger and stronger than ever before,” he said.
Oil prices tumble
Oil prices continue to fall as uncertainty over a deal between the U.S. and Iran fuels fears that prolonged shipping restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz will damage economic growth, Al Jazeera reported.
Brent crude futures fell $4.64, or 4.48%, to $98.90 a barrel.
Similarly, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped to $92.18 a barrel, down $4.42, or 4.58%.
‘Pretty solid’ deal, says Rubio
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. have a “pretty solid” agreement with Iran to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He noted Washington will have a good agreement with Iran or deal with the country “another way,” as reported by The Independent .
Rubio said there was a “pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the strait, get the strait open, enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter, and hopefully we can pull it off.”
He said the U.S. would give diplomacy every chance to succeed before exploring alternative options.
On Sunday, Trump stated on Truth Social that the U.S. blockade in the Strait of Hormuz would” remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”
“Both sides must take their time and get it right,” he added.