Marco Rubio’s just confirmed: there’s serious momentum on a possible US-Iran deal to end the war, and it could come down to a few key sticking points about nuclear enrichment language.
The Secretary of State reiterated U.S. warnings that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened “one way or the other” when asked by a reporter about the U.S. strikes on Iran. “The straits have to be open, they’re going to be open,” he said during a trip to India. “What’s happening there is unlawful, it’s illegal, it’s unsustainable for the world, it’s unacceptable.”
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress,” Rubio said. “I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document, so it’ll take a few days. The president expressed his desire to make it. He’s either going to make a good deal or no deal.”
American military forces conducted what U.S. Central Command said were “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran on Monday, “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.” The targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats trying to place mines, according to Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson. “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing cease-fire,” said Captain Hawkins, who declined to say which ships came under fire, where they were located, or precisely where the other U.S. strikes took place.
Some of the dozens of American warplanes and nearly two dozen Navy warships, including two aircraft carriers and their escort ships enforcing a blockade against vessels trying to enter or leave Iranian ports in or around the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, were threatened by Iranian surface-to-air missiles, a senior U.S. military official said. The U.S. strikes were near the Iranian port and navy base at Bandar Abbas, the official said.
American and Iranian forces have clashed in other ways since a cease-fire took effect approximately six weeks ago. But the strikes on Monday occurred as Iranian officials gathered in Qatar for negotiations on ending the war.
Iran said Monday that Tehran and Washington have struck understandings on many subjects in negotiations over a deal for ending the war, but warned that a final deal is not imminent. “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said during a weekly news briefing. “But to say that this means the signing of an agreement is imminent—no one can make such a claim,” he said, accusing Washington of shifting its positions.
Trump said if he makes a deal with Iran, it will be a “good and proper one,” criticizing the Obama administration’s record with Iran and accusing the former president of giving Iran “massive amounts of CASH, and a clear and open path to a Nuclear Weapon.”
A top administration official said on Sunday that the Iranians have agreed to a deal that would include getting rid of highly enriched uranium. However, work is still being done to finalize the deal.
In a final deal, Iran would also have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade of the waterway. If Iran agrees to lessen its nuclear enrichment, the U.S. would also be willing to ease sanctions.
The source said that most people agree on the basic ideas, and the Trump administration is pleased with how things are going, even though they are still working on finishing up the specifics. The official said that Iran seems more open to making deals now than it did before the military operation.
The official said that the government wants to see a strong promise not to enrich. They say it doesn’t matter if the promise is for 20 or 30 years; what matters is how it will be enforced. The source said they think the deal will go further than the Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear deal, which let enrichment go up to a certain point.
