The Trump administration is finalizing details of a potential agreement with Iran to end the conflict, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying negotiations in Qatar could yield results within days.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been working to complete a deal aimed at resolving the war with Iran. The negotiations, taking place in Qatar, involve discussions over specific language in preliminary documents and are expected to take several more days, according to Rubio.
“There were some talks going on in Qatar today, so we’ll see if we can make progress,” Rubio said during a trip to India. “I think it’s a lot of talking back and forth going on about specific language in the initial document.”
Military Action Amid Negotiations
U.S. Central Command conducted what it described as “self-defense strikes” against Iranian targets in the southern part of the country on Monday. The military operation targeted missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to place mines in regional waterways.
“U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing cease-fire,” said Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesperson. The strikes occurred near Bandar Abbas, an Iranian port and naval base, according to a senior U.S. military official.
Some American naval vessels, including two aircraft carriers and nearly two dozen warships enforcing a blockade against Iranian ports, faced threats from Iranian surface-to-air missiles, the official said. The cease-fire between American and Iranian forces has been in effect for approximately six weeks.
Iran’s Position on Progress
Iranian officials acknowledged progress in negotiations while cautioning that a final agreement remains distant. “It is correct to say that we have reached a conclusion on a large portion of the issues under discussion,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said.
Baqaei warned against premature announcements of an imminent deal, accusing Washington of changing its negotiating positions. Iran has indicated that a final agreement would require the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened in exchange for the U.S. lifting its naval blockade.
Deal Framework Taking Shape
According to a top administration official, Iran has agreed to eliminate highly enriched uranium as part of a potential agreement. The U.S. would lift its blockade and ease sanctions if Iran reduces its nuclear enrichment activities.
Rubio emphasized that the waterway must remain open, stating, “The straits have to be open, they’re going to be open. What’s happening there is unlawful, it’s illegal, it’s unsustainable for the world, it’s unacceptable.”
The administration official said that broad agreement exists on basic terms and that Iran appears more willing to negotiate following recent military operations. The primary focus now involves finalizing enforcement mechanisms for any commitment to limit uranium enrichment.
Trump stated that any deal with Iran would be “good and proper,” contrasting his approach with the Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear agreement. The official said the current negotiations could produce an agreement with stronger restrictions than the previous accord.
This story has been updated. CNN’s staff contributed to this report.