US Secretary of State Marco Rubio waves as he boards his plane at the end of a visit to Italy and the Vatican, at Rome's Ciampino airport, on May 8, 2026. STEFANO RELLANDINI / AFP
The United States was awaiting Iran's response to its latest proposed peace deal on Friday, May 8, according to Washington's top diplomat, after both sides accused the other of triggering clashes that rattled markets and revived fears of a return to fighting.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran must not control the Strait of Hormuz, where the flare-ups took place, but added: "We're expecting a response from them today at some point (...) I hope it's a serious offer, I really do." Following the start of the war on February 28, Iran has largely closed the Strait of Hormuz, with the US later imposing its own blockade of Iranian ports. "Iran now claims that they own, that they have a right to control, an international waterway (...) That's an unacceptable thing that they're trying to normalise," Rubio said.
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Rubio steps up as defender of Trump's erratic Iran policy
