{"id":70552,"date":"2026-05-22T07:36:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T11:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/secretary-of-state-reports-limited-progress-in-iran-negotiations\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T07:36:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T11:36:57","slug":"secretary-of-state-reports-limited-progress-in-iran-negotiations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/secretary-of-state-reports-limited-progress-in-iran-negotiations\/","title":{"rendered":"Secretary of State Reports Limited Progress in Iran Negotiations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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TEL AVIV, Israel \u2014 Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Friday that diplomatic negotiations with Iran have shown “slight progress” as questions linger over whether an agreement can be reached or if military action will restart.<\/p>

His comments came several days after President Donald Trump announced he was postponing a planned military operation against Iran due to ongoing “serious negotiations.” For weeks, Trump has warned that the ceasefire established in mid-April could collapse if Iran fails to reach an agreement, though the terms for such a deal have continued to shift.<\/p>

Speaking before a gathering of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Rubio addressed the situation. The military alliance is anticipated to examine what assistance it might provide in monitoring the Strait of Hormuz following the conclusion of hostilities.<\/p>

Rubio cautioned against overstating the diplomatic advancement, noting there had been “a little bit of movement and that’s good.” He confirmed that discussions remain active. However, despite multiple recent assertions of progress, negotiators have yet to finalize any agreement.<\/p>

Trump has established multiple deadlines for Tehran before retreating from them. While he has previously suggested delaying military operations to permit continued dialogue, he has also reversed course and authorized attacks. This pattern occurred at the conflict’s beginning when he approved strikes in late February after initially suggesting he would allow negotiations to proceed.<\/p>

He explained that he canceled this week’s planned attacks on Iran following requests from Middle Eastern allies, including leaders from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, nations that have faced targeting by Iran and its affiliated militias.<\/p>

However, Trump’s choice to pursue diplomatic channels created friction this week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<\/p>

A source speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization revealed Thursday that Trump and Netanyahu engaged in a “dramatic” telephone discussion Tuesday regarding the Iranian negotiations, with Israel expressing frustration over Trump’s pursuit of an agreement with Iran.<\/p>

Trump subsequently informed reporters that Netanyahu “will do whatever I want him to do.”<\/p>

These remarks represent the first visible signs of disagreement between the leaders since initiating the conflict in February.<\/p>

Friday brought news from Pakistan that the interior minister made two trips to Tehran this week for meetings with Iranian officials as part of efforts to reduce tensions between Iran and the United States.<\/p>

During a weekly press conference in the capital, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi explained that Pakistan’s political and military leadership are working toward peace, with the minister’s dual visits demonstrating this commitment.<\/p>

He announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will depart for Beijing Saturday following China’s invitation for a four-day visit, noting that Pakistan’s peace initiatives are likely to be addressed during the trip.<\/p>

Nevertheless, significant obstacles persist.<\/p>

Iran has essentially blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passage for transporting oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products. The United States is maintaining a blockade of Iranian ports and has redirected 85 commercial ships from mid-April through Monday, according to a U.S. Central Command social media announcement.<\/p>

Both the United States and Israel have declared that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons. Though Iran reportedly offered some nuclear compromises, Trump has stated his goal of removing highly enriched uranium from the country and preventing nuclear weapons development. Iran maintains its nuclear program serves peaceful purposes.<\/p>

Two regional officials and a western diplomat informed the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates conducted separate multiple strikes against Iran and Iranian-supported Shiite militias in Iraq throughout the war. An Israeli military officer familiar with the situation also verified that the UAE actively targeted Iran at least once.<\/p>

All sources requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information.<\/p>

The regional officials indicated that strikes on Iran focused on military installations, including missile and drone launch sites, primarily controlled by the Revolutionary Guard Corps.<\/p>

One regional official reported that Saudi Arabia’s strikes targeted Iraqi militia hideouts, particularly Kataib Hezbollah, after Riyadh determined that most drone attacks on Saudi Arabia originated from neighboring Iraq. He noted that Saudi Arabia repeatedly informed Baghdad about the Iraqi-based attacks before choosing to strike.<\/p>

The western diplomat and one regional official said the UAE had advocated for coordinated military action from Gulf Arab nations since the war began.<\/p>

When asked for comment, the United Arab Emirates referenced a May 16 Foreign Ministry statement saying “all measures undertaken by the UAE have been within the framework of defensive actions aimed at protecting its sovereignty, civilians, and vital infrastructure, in line with the country’s legitimate right to safeguard its national security and maintain its stability.” Saudi Arabia did not immediately provide a response to requests for comment.<\/p>

Iran has also remained silent regarding being targeted by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.<\/p>

After allegations that attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE originated from Iraqi territory, the Iraqi prime minister ordered an investigation. Iraq’s government has not responded to comment requests.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced modest advancement in diplomatic talks with Iran on Friday, though uncertainty remains about whether negotiations will succeed or military action will resume. The discussions come after President Trump delayed planned strikes to allow diplomatic efforts to continue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":70551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[832],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779449817235.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-ilW","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":22870,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/secretary-of-state-rubio-to-brief-netanyahu-on-iran-nuclear-talks-next-week\/","url_meta":{"origin":70552,"position":0},"title":"Secretary of State Rubio to Brief Netanyahu on Iran Nuclear Talks Next Week","author":"Admin","date":"February 18, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Israel next week to brief Prime Minister Netanyahu on ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations. The meeting comes as the Trump administration continues military buildup in the Middle East while weighing potential military action against Tehran.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771468300110.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771468300110.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771468300110.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/news-1771468300110.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":73767,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/pakistani-diplomat-meets-rubio-in-dc-to-discuss-iran-peace-negotiations\/","url_meta":{"origin":70552,"position":1},"title":"Pakistani Diplomat Meets Rubio in DC to Discuss Iran Peace Negotiations","author":"Admin","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar traveled to Washington Friday for discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio about ongoing Iran peace talks. The meeting comes as reports suggest an initial agreement has been reached to extend a ceasefire and lift shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1780063674861.jpg?fit=450%2C356&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":71850,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/secretary-of-state-insists-strait-of-hormuz-must-stay-open-after-iran-strikes\/","url_meta":{"origin":70552,"position":2},"title":"Secretary of State Insists Strait of Hormuz Must Stay Open After Iran Strikes","author":"Admin","date":"May 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz must remain accessible following American military strikes on Iran. Speaking to reporters while traveling in India, Rubio indicated negotiations with Iran could take several days to finalize.","rel":"","context":"In "World News"","block_context":{"text":"World News","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/category\/world-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779765763824.jpg?fit=450%2C249&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":71868,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/secretary-of-state-rubio-iran-deal-could-take-days-after-new-u-s-strikes\/","url_meta":{"origin":70552,"position":3},"title":"Secretary of State Rubio: Iran Deal Could Take Days After New U.S. Strikes","author":"Admin","date":"May 26, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that negotiations with Iran could take several more days, dampening expectations for a quick resolution. 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