'Significant progress' made in Iran talks: Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said some progress has been made in a deal with Iran, signalling a possible end to the Middle East conflict, which has had global ramifications. 

Speaking at a news conference in New Delhi on Sunday (May 24), Rubio also said the progress could result in a "completely open strait[ of Hormuz]... without tolls".

He, however, added that there was still “work to do”, emphasising the US position that "Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon". 

He added that the idea that the president would agree to a deal that would put Iran in a stronger position on the nuclear issue was "absurd".

Rubio is in India on a four-day visit to reset bilateral relations and strengthen the Quad grouping. 

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran had been "largely negotiated", which would include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Although he didn’t provide more details, Trump said "final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly".

He insisted any agreement would "absolutely" prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei also said that US and Iranian positions had been converging in the last week, but warned that did not mean agreements would be reached on key issues and accused the Americans of "contradictory statements".

Europe reacts

News of a possible deal was met positively across Europe.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed "the progress towards an agreement between the US and Iran", adding that it is "vital that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon".

Writing on X this morning, Starmer said: "We need to see an agreement that brings the conflict to an end and reopens the Strait of Hormuz, with unconditional and unrestricted freedom of navigation."

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, welcomed the "progress" in US-Iran talks, adding that "Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon".

In a statement on X, she said that a deal must "truly de-escalate" the conflict and guarantee "toll-free full freedom of navigation" for the Strait of Hormuz.

Von der Leyen added that Iran must "end its destabilising actions in the region", both directly and through its proxies, and also stop its "repeated attacks" on neighbouring Gulf states.

Iran’s position?

Tasnim, Iran's semi-official news agency, reporting details of the alleged agreement, said the country had made no commitments in the draft resolution to hand over any of its nuclear material, despite what was being claimed in Western media. 

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)-related news agency reports that the negotiations on the nuclear issue have been postponed until "after the possible end of the war".

It said the current draft was limited solely to the issue of ending the war, and did not include any details relating to Iran's nuclear programme.