Rubio: Iran Deal Will Take “Days,” Hormuz a Key Pressure Point
US-Iran negotiating efforts to end the conflict are expected to take time, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday (May 26) that a deal could “take days.” This statement dampened market hopes for a quick breakthrough, a day after the US carried out new attacks in southern Iran that Washington called defensive.
Rubio described the attacks as targeting ships suspected of trying to lay mines and missile launch sites. He emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened “by any means necessary,” making shipping access a strategic priority amid ongoing negotiations.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated that Monday’s strikes were carried out to protect troops from threats posed by Iranian forces, despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since early April. From the Iranian side, local media reports said Tehran shot down an “enemy” stealth drone with a new air defense system, without specifying the drone’s origin.
While military tensions have not fully subsided, diplomatic channels remain active. An official familiar with Iran's visit said Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister about a potential deal with the US. Rubio had previously said diplomacy would be given a full chance before Washington considered "other measures," noting there were "pretty solid proposals" on the table regarding reopening the strait and "real, significant, and time-bound" nuclear negotiations.
US President Donald Trump also said the talks were "going well" in a lengthy post on Truth Social, but warned of the potential for renewed attacks if the talks failed, emphasizing an approach combining pressure and diplomacy.
The discussions in Doha reportedly covered two pillars: the operation of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The same official said Iran's central bank governor was present to discuss the possible release of frozen Iranian funds as part of a final agreement. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated that the nuclear issue would only be negotiated after the framework of the agreement was agreed upon, adding that the draft agreement did not yet contain specific details regarding the management of the Strait of Hormuz.
Baghaei said Iran would not impose tariffs on shipping, but would charge for services such as navigation and environmental protection, under a protocol to be agreed with Oman. Japanese media outlet Nikkei, citing regional diplomatic sources, reported that the US and Iran were discussing plans to open the strait approximately 30 days after reaching an agreement to end hostilities.
Beyond the US-Iran front, regional tensions also escalated after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israel would intensify attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Israeli military later said it had attacked Hezbollah infrastructure in the Bekaa Valley and other areas. Although Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ceasefire in mid-April, Israel maintains that the airstrikes are still being carried out as an act of self-defense against Hezbollah, which is not a party to the truce.
For the market, the focus remains on the energy risk premium. Any sign of Hormuz reopening could potentially reduce supply uncertainty and ease energy-based inflationary pressures, while a military escalation could quickly reverse the narrative. The variables that need to be monitored are concrete developments in the Doha talks, details of the nuclear negotiation framework and the frozen funds mechanism, the certainty of the strait opening schedule, and the intensity of the cross-front conflict involving Israel and Hezbollah. (Arl)
Source: Newsmaker.id
