NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said there was a chance Iran would accept a deal to end the Middle East war as soon as Saturday.
“There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple of days, we may have something to say,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi, adding he hoped for “good news”.
His comments came as Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran to bolster mediation, and US President Donald Trump abruptly skipped his son’s wedding to stay in Washington due to “circumstances about government”, fuelling speculation that talks had entered a sensitive stage.
Rubio said there had been progress in negotiations but did not rule out Trump resuming attacks on Iran. “There might be some news a little later today. There may not be. I hope there will be,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi during his first visit to India.
On the other hand, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said that at this stage, Tehran is focused on finalising a memorandum of understanding with the US.
Addressing the media in Tehran, Baghaei said that any mechanism concerning the Strait of Hormuz should be agreed between Iran, Oman, and the countries bordering the waterway, and that the United States “has nothing to do” with it.
The foreign ministry spokesperson also said Iran was focused on finalising a memorandum of understanding through Pakistani-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington, according to Iran’s state media.
COAS Asim Munir’s visit
The developments came after Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir met senior Iranian government officials as part of ongoing mediation efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and constructive engagement between the US and Iran.
In a statement today, the Inter-Services Public Relations said Field Marshal Asim Munir concluded a short but highly productive official visit to Iran, adding that the engagements contributed meaningfully towards the mediation process.
“Field Marshal held high-level engagements with Iranian leadership as part of ongoing mediation efforts aimed at promoting de-escalation and constructive engagement, amidst the regional tensions that have simmered after the ceasefire on 8th April, 2026,” it stated.
During the meeting, the army chief called on Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and the Interior Minister of Iran, Eskandar Momeni.
“The discussions remained focused upon expediting the consultative process underway to support peace and stability in the region and to reach a conclusive agreement,” the ISPR stated.
