TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there was “slight progress” during talks with Iran amid uncertainty as to whether a deal will be reached or war will resume. He spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike on Iran because “serious negotiations” were underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement. Rubio spoke ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the the military alliance is expected to discuss what role it could play in helping police the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over. Rubio said he didn’t want to exaggerate the progress, saying there had been “a little bit of movement and that’s good.” He said the conversations were ongoing. Still, in recent weeks there have been repeated claims of progress, yet a deal has not been reached.
Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. But he’s also previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to continue — only to turn around and launch strikes. That’s what happened at the war’s outset, when he ordered strikes in late February shortly after indicating he would let talks play out.
