U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Friday that "slight progress" was made during negotiations with Iran as Pakistan's army chief traveled to Tehran for mediation efforts, though the vital Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed with significant economic consequences for global energy markets. Rubio made the comment ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the military alliance discussed what role it could play in helping police the strait once the war concludes.
Rubio cautioned against exaggerating the progress, saying there had been "a little bit of movement and that's good." In recent weeks, repeated claims of progress have emerged, but a deal has stayed out of reach. President Donald Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic because "serious negotiations" were underway. Trump has repeatedly said the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement.
Diplomatic Mediation Intensifies
Pakistan's top army officer, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived Friday in Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders, Pakistani officials and the military confirmed. It was the third round of meetings between Pakistani and Iranian officials in recent days. Munir was joined by Pakistan's interior minister, who had already met with Iranian leaders in Tehran twice this week. Pakistan has sought a deal between Iran and the U.S. since Munir facilitated face-to-face talks between the two countries in Islamabad about one month ago.
Qatar also sent a delegation to Tehran, according to a regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks. The delegation was working in coordination with other countries, including Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the official said.
Economic Chokepoint Remains Closed
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the shipment of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products. The U.S. is blockading Iranian ports and has redirected 94 commercial vessels and disabled four others since mid-April, U.S. Central Command said. At the NATO meeting in Sweden, Rubio said he discussed reopening the strait with other foreign ministers. He said there needs to be a "plan B" if Washington and Tehran fail to reach a deal.
"Someone's going to have to do something about it, OK?" Rubio said, insisting that Iran was not going to "voluntarily reopen" the strait. The American military has not found or destroyed any explosive mines in the Strait of Hormuz so far, but it is still searching, a U.S. official said Friday. No ships have been struck or damaged by mines in the strait either, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations. That is even as some commercial traffic has been flowing, though at much lower volumes than before the war began.
Trump said last month that he ordered the military to begin mine-clearing efforts as part of a broader push to get commercial ships to traverse the strait again following several attacks by Iran. No evidence of mine-laying by the Iranians has emerged since the start of the conflict, and U.S. officials have repeatedly said that they targeted and destroyed that capability as part of the airstrikes across the country.
Regional Tensions and Allied Actions
Trump's decision to give more peace talks a chance sparked tension with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. An official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media said Thursday that Trump and Netanyahu had a "dramatic" phone conversation Tuesday about the status of the Iranian negotiations and that Israel is angry with Trump's efforts to strike a deal with Iran. The White House declined to comment on the substance or tenor of the call. Trump told reporters after the conversation that Netanyahu "will do whatever I want him to do."
Two regional officials and a Western diplomat said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates separately launched multiple attacks on Iran and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq during the war. An Israeli military officer with knowledge of the situation also confirmed that the UAE proactively struck Iran at least once. All of them spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information. The regional officials said the strikes on Iran targeted military facilities.
One of the regional officials said strikes by Saudi Arabia targeted hideouts of Iraqi militias, mainly Kataib Hezbollah, after Riyadh assessed that most of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia came from neighboring Iraq. He said Saudi Arabia has repeatedly briefed Baghdad before deciding to strike. The Western diplomat and one of the regional officials said the UAE had pushed for a collective military response from the Gulf Arab countries since the onset of the war.
Asked for comment, the UAE referred to a May 16 statement that "all measures undertaken by the UAE have been within the framework of defensive actions aimed at protecting its sovereignty, civilians, and vital infrastructure." Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran has not publicly addressed being targeted by the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Trump has also repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and then backed off. Trump previously indicated he would hold off on military action to allow talks to play out, only to turn around and launch strikes. That happened at the war's outset, when he ordered strikes in late February shortly after indicating he would let talks play out. The president said he called off attacks on Iran this week at the request of allies in the Middle East.
Why This Matters:
The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz represents a critical threat to global energy markets and supply chains, with approximately one-fifth of the world's petroleum products typically passing through this chokepoint. The disruption affects not just oil and gas prices but fertilizer and other essential commodities, creating inflationary pressures that impact American consumers and businesses. The U.S. military's blockade operations and the redirection of 94 commercial vessels demonstrate the scale of economic disruption. Regional allies taking independent military action against Iran—particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE—signals both the limits of multilateral coordination and the willingness of key partners to defend their sovereign interests. The tension between Trump and Netanyahu over peace negotiations highlights the complexity of balancing allied relationships with national security objectives. The involvement of multiple mediators suggests diplomatic solutions remain possible, but Rubio's insistence on a "plan B" underscores the need for credible military options to ensure freedom of navigation through international waters.