From the Liveblog of
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Rubio: ‘Chance’ Iran accepts deal as soon as today; Tehran says finalizing ‘memorandum of understanding’ with US
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there is a chance Iran will accept a deal to end the Middle East war as soon as today.
“There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple of days, we may have something to say,” Rubio tells reporters in New Delhi, adding he hoped for “good news.”
“There’s been some progress done, some progress made. Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done,” he says.
Rubio reiterates that the US is demanding Iran fully open the Strait of Hormuz, on which it has exerted control in response to the US-Israeli attack, and that Iran hand over highly enriched uranium.
US President Donald Trump’s “preference is always to solve problems such as these through a negotiated diplomatic solution. That’s what we’re working on right now,” Rubio says. “But this problem will be solved, as the president’s made… clear, one way or the other.”
Meanwhile, Iran says it is focused on finalizing a “memorandum of understanding” through Pakistani-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington, according to Iran’s state media.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also says that any mechanism concerning the Strait of Hormuz should be agreed between it, Oman and the countries bordering the waterway, and that the United States “has nothing to do” with it.
The Times of Israel Community.