Rubio signals Iran announcement possible

Marco Rubio said on Sunday that an announcement on diplomacy over the U.S.-Iran war could come within hours, signaling possible movement in talks that Pakistan has been trying to broker between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his government hoped to host the next round of talks “very soon.” Reports from France 24, citing AFP, and other outlets said negotiators were discussing commitments from Tehran as part of a possible understanding. The comments came after several days of Pakistani contacts with Iranian officials aimed at averting potential U.S. strikes. ### What exactly did Rubio say on Sunday? Marco Rubio said in New Delhi that there was “the possibility that in the next few hours the world will get some good news,” according to France 24 and other reports from his India trip. He also said progress had been made in the negotiations and repeated that Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon. (france24.com) The Sunday remarks followed comments by President Donald Trump that a memorandum of understanding to end the fighting was “largely negotiated,” according to Al Jazeera’s report on the talks. That left Rubio’s statement looking like the clearest public signal yet from a senior U.S. official that some form of announcement was under active consideration on May 24. (france24.com) ### Why is Pakistan in the middle of these talks? Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Pakistan hoped to host the next round of Iran-U.S. talks soon, placing Islamabad at the center of the latest mediation push. Pakistan had already publicly offered in March to host direct or indirect negotiations if both sides agreed. (aljazeera.com) Pakistan’s role has expanded in recent days through direct contacts with Tehran. Reuters, as cited by Al-Monitor, reported that Iran’s foreign minister met his Pakistani counterpart on Friday to discuss proposals to end the war. Dawn also reported that Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi traveled to Tehran for a second time in a week as Islamabad tried to break a deadlock. (france24.com) ### What are negotiators said to be working on? Iranian and U.S. negotiators are reported to be discussing a framework or memorandum that would set out commitments from Tehran and create space for further talks. Pakistan Today, citing Iranian officials, reported that drafting of a framework understanding was in its final stages, while NBC reported that Pakistani outreach was aimed at reaching the point of officially announcing acceptance of a memorandum of understanding. (al-monitor.com) The sticking points appear to include Tehran’s uranium stockpile and control of the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters, in the Al-Monitor report, said Washington and Tehran were still at odds on those issues as of May 22. Moneycontrol, citing Iran’s Fars News Agency, reported on Sunday that Tehran rejected Trump’s claim that reopening the waterway was part of a draft agreement. (pakistantoday.com.pk) ### What does the urgent Iran-Pakistan diplomacy suggest? Tehran hosted Pakistani officials over the past week as both sides tried to keep a diplomatic track alive. NBC reported that a visit by Pakistan’s army chief was tied to efforts to secure Iranian acceptance of a memorandum, while Dawn described a broader Pakistani push involving repeated travel and contacts with Iranian leaders. (al-monitor.com) CBS reported earlier this month that Pakistan, while acting as a diplomatic conduit, had also allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields, according to U.S. officials. That reporting underscored how Islamabad has tried to balance ties with Tehran and Washington while presenting itself as a channel for talks. (nbcnews.com) ### What should readers watch for next? Sunday’s immediate marker is whether Washington, Tehran or Islamabad issues the announcement Rubio said could come later in the day. France 24 reported that Pakistan wants to host the next round of talks soon, and multiple reports said negotiators were still working on a temporary framework rather than a final settlement. (cbsnews.com) The next concrete step, if the talks hold, would be a new round hosted by Pakistan with U.S. and Iranian participation. Reuters, as cited by Al-Monitor, reported on May 22 that Iranian and Pakistani officials were already discussing proposals, and Sharif said on May 24 that Islamabad was ready to move quickly. (al-monitor.com) (france24.com)