US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has hailed "good signs" emerging from peace talks between Washington and Tehran, as the search for an elusive deal continues. "There's some good signs," Mr Rubio told reporters. "I don't want to be overly optimistic... So, let's see what happens over the next few days." A senior Iranian source said no deal has been reached but the gaps in positions between the two sides has narrowed.
Key Sticking Points Remain
Iran's uranium enrichment and Tehran's control over the Strait of Hormuz remain among the sticking points, the source told Reuters news agency. Mr Rubio warned that Iran's desire to impose a toll on ships passing through the strait was acting as a blockade to a potential peace agreement. "No one in the world is in favour of the tolling system. It can't happen. It would be unacceptable," he said. "It would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that. So it's a threat to the world if they were trying to do that, and it's completely illegal."
Iran's Military Buildup
Meanwhile, fresh US intelligence has found that Iran is rebuilding its military industrial base much faster than expected, US sources told CNN. President Donald Trump said the US would eventually seize and likely destroy Iran's highly enriched uranium, insisting Washington will not allow Tehran to retain it. "We want it open, we want it free. We don't want tolls," he said. "It's an international waterway."
No Deal Yet
Iranian officials said that no deal has been reached yet, though negotiation gaps have narrowed. Trump also warned he is prepared to resume strikes on Iran if talks fail, while criticising any attempt by Tehran to impose fees on the strategic global shipping route. Mr Rubio reiterated that the tolling system is completely illegal and would make a diplomatic deal unfeasible if pursued.
