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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Sunday that the world could receive good news within hours on the Iran situation, at least regarding the Strait of Hormuz, following talks in New Delhi with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
"I do think perhaps there is the possibility that in the next few hours the world will get some good news," Rubio told reporters alongside Jaishankar.
"Some progress has been made in the past 48 hours on an outline that could resolve the Strait of Hormuz situation," he said, adding that more work was still needed.
"There is good news, but not final news," Rubio added.
Responding to a BBC question about the conflict, Rubio said he would not speak to military tactics but was direct about the outcomes.
"The U.S. goals were very clear: to destroy Iran's navy, its ability to launch ballistic missiles, and damage its defense industrial base. Those were the objectives of Epic Fury. Those objectives were achieved," he said.
Rubio reiterated throughout the press conference that Iran's nuclear status was a non-negotiable American position.
"The president has been clear about that; they will never possess a nuclear weapon, certainly not as long as Donald Trump is president of the United States," Rubio said.
He called the idea that Trump would agree to a deal placing Iran in a stronger nuclear position "absurd."
He said the emerging deal would start "a process that can ultimately leave us where the president wants us to be, and that is a world that no longer has to fear or worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon."
Rubio accused Iran of being the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism and said Tehran had no ownership over the Strait of Hormuz.
"No nation on earth sponsors more terrorism than Iran," he said, adding, "Look at what they are doing now; they are holding hostage civilian vessels, and they've laid mines in an international waterway."
He said Trump was focused on finding a diplomatic resolution to the Hormuz situation but made clear it would be resolved "one way or the other."
Rubio said diplomatic channels remained the U.S. preference and indicated he would leave any formal announcement to Trump.
The two sides also discussed trade, visas, maritime security, and energy supplies during the India visit.
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