Rubio, speaking to reporters Friday ahead of a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, said the talks with Iran had made “slight progress.” He did not detail the substance of the discussions, but his comment came just days after President Donald Trump announced he had called off a planned military strike because “serious negotiations” were underway.
The announcement marked the latest in a series of mixed signals from the White House. Trump has been warning for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, and the parameters for striking such an agreement have shifted repeatedly, according to administration officials.
Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, traveled to Tehran in a renewed effort to mediate. Pakistan has been a key intermediary in the conflict, and its engagement has intensified as the ceasefire has wobbled.
The NATO meeting in Helsingborg examined what role the alliance could play in helping to police the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over. The strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, has been a central flashpoint in the conflict, and its reopening remains a core objective of the U.S.-led negotiations.
Rubio’s characterization of “slight progress” was the most detailed public assessment from the U.S. side since the talks began, though Iran has accused Washington of making excessive demands, according to state media reports. Both sides have said key issues remain unresolved.
The mid-April ceasefire ended weeks of intense fighting that saw U.S. and Iranian forces clash in the Gulf, and though it has largely held, the Trump administration has linked its continuation to a broader deal that would also address Iran’s nuclear program and its support for regional proxies.