The United States is waiting for Irans response on a solid deal

The time is still for diplomacy between the United States and Iran. Washington is waiting for a response from Tehran to its proposals. “We thought we would have news last night, maybe today [Monday], I won’t go too far on that,” said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while visiting India, as reported by Le Monde.

“We have what I believe to be a fairly solid thing on the table regarding their ability to open the Strait of Hormuz,” the US Secretary of State clarified. According to him, the agreement would also allow for “entering into negotiations” on the Iranian nuclear issue. “As the president [Trump] said, he is not in a hurry, he will not conclude a bad deal, and the president will not sign a bad deal,” Marco Rubio added.

According to the BBC, the agreement being discussed would involve an extension of the ceasefire between Iran and the United States by 60 days, an opening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transits, as well as a plan for more advanced negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program. At present, Tehran would still have 440 kilos of enriched uranium at 60%. This would place the Iranian nation close to enrichment to 90%, the necessary threshold to develop a nuclear weapon.

On his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Donald Trump indicated that he had “asked my representatives not to rush to conclude an agreement, as time is on our side.” The US president also warned that the blockade imposed on Iranian ports would persist “until an agreement is concluded, certified, and signed.”

What about Lebanon, where Israeli strikes are taking place despite a seemingly fragile truce? According to Marco Rubio, regardless of the agreement between Washington and Tehran, Israel would continue to have the right to defend itself. “Israel always has the right to defend itself. Every country in the world has that right. And so, if Hezbollah is preparing to launch missiles or has launched missiles against them, Israel has the right to retaliate,” said the US Secretary of State.