US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations with Iran have shown “slight progress,” but major disputes remain over Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile and its position on imposing tolls in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking ahead of NATO-related meetings and during media interactions on Thursday, Rubio said the issue of Iran’s enriched uranium would have to be addressed before any broader diplomatic breakthrough could be achieved.
“We’re going to have to address enriched uranium,” Rubio said, while also warning that no country should accept any Iranian attempt to impose tolls or restrictions on passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Rubio described the proposed Hormuz tolling system as “unacceptable” and said such a move would make a diplomatic agreement with Tehran “unfeasible.” He stressed that the waterway is an international shipping route critical to global energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz handles nearly a fifth of global oil shipments and has remained at the centre of rising tensions since the US-Iran conflict escalated earlier this year. Iran has maintained that it wants greater control over maritime access in the region, while Washington and its allies insist that international navigation must remain unrestricted.
The latest diplomatic exchanges come amid reports that Iran is reviewing a new US proposal aimed at reducing tensions and preventing renewed military escalation. Iranian media outlets reported that the proposal had “narrowed the gaps to some extent,” although disagreements continue over Tehran’s uranium reserves and regional security demands.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has publicly stated that the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium will remain inside Iran, directly opposing Washington’s demand that the material be removed or destroyed as part of any agreement. According to international reports, Iran currently possesses uranium enriched to levels far above the limits set under the earlier 2015 nuclear deal.
US President Donald Trump has also reiterated that Washington would not allow Iran to retain highly enriched uranium and has demanded free navigation through Hormuz without any tolling mechanism.
Despite Rubio’s cautious optimism about “some good signs” in the talks, officials on both sides acknowledged that negotiations remain fragile and that the coming days could prove critical for the future of the diplomatic process.
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