U.S. and Iranian officials are negotiating a diplomatic deal in Qatar to end the conflict, even as ongoing military strikes test a fragile regional cease-fire.
President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration are working to finalize a possible agreement with Iran aimed at ending the conflict, even as new U.S. military strikes threaten to complicate diplomatic efforts. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations were continuing in Qatar, where Iranian officials were meeting with mediators. Rubio indicated that the two sides were working through specific language in an initial framework and that reaching a final agreement could take several more days. “The president’s expressed his desire to make it,” Rubio said, adding that Trump was seeking “a good deal or no deal.” Rubio also reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened, saying the strategically important waterway would have to remain accessible.
The comments came after U.S. Central Command said American forces carried out what it described as “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran. According to CENTCOM, the strikes targeted missile launch sites and Iranian vessels allegedly preparing to lay mines. U.S. officials said the operations were intended to protect American forces while maintaining restraint during the fragile cease-fire. The strikes occurred near Bandar Abbas, a major Iranian port and naval base, as Iranian officials were simultaneously engaged in negotiations in Qatar.