**U.S., Iran work toward framework deal as Hormuz talks continue and strikes hit southern Iran**
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is working to lock in the framework of a potential agreement to end the conflict with Iran, even as U.S. forces carried out new strikes in southern Iran and diplomats in Qatar pressed ahead on the language of a preliminary deal, senior U.S. officials said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking during a visit to India, said the administration’s immediate priority remains reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the vital energy corridor that has been disrupted throughout the crisis. The waterway “has to be open,” Rubio said, calling its closure “unlawful, illegal, unsustainable for the world, and unacceptable.”
Rubio confirmed that U.S. and Iranian representatives were engaged in talks in Qatar and that negotiators were still refining the wording of a draft agreement. President Donald Trump’s position has not changed, he said: Washington wants “a good deal or no deal.” Completing a final document, Rubio added, could take additional time.
While those discussions continued, U.S. Central Command announced what it described as “self-defense strikes” in southern Iran. Capt. Tim Hawkins said the operation targeted missile facilities and Iranian vessels allegedly involved in efforts to place naval mines near key maritime routes.
A senior defense official said U.S. aircraft and naval forces operating near the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea had faced threats from Iranian surface-to-air missile systems. The strikes occurred near Bandar Abbas, a major Iranian naval hub. Military officials said the action was intended to protect American personnel and assets while preserving the broader cease-fire framework.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Tehran and Washington had reached areas of understanding on several issues but cautioned that a final agreement had not been concluded. He also accused the United States of shifting its positions during the talks.
Trump said any future pact with Iran would be “good and proper,” while again criticizing the 2015 nuclear accord negotiated under President Barack Obama. That earlier deal, Trump argued, gave Iran economic relief without a lasting guarantee that Tehran would not pursue a nuclear weapons capability.
According to a senior U.S. administration official, negotiators have made progress on a proposed framework that would require Iran to eliminate its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and accept major limits on future enrichment. In return, the United States would end its naval blockade and begin a phased reduction of economic sanctions.
Officials said the main political issues have largely been resolved in principle. Technical details, verification procedures, and enforcement measures remain under discussion. Washington’s priority, they said, is a long-term, verifiable arrangement that would prevent Iran from exceeding agreed nuclear limits, with strong enforcement mechanisms at the center of any deal.
The administration believes recent military pressure has increased Iran’s willingness to negotiate. If completed, officials said, the agreement would impose stricter restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program than the 2015 accord and reflect the White House’s push for a broader, more enforceable settlement.
Diplomacy in Qatar and military operations in the Gulf are now running on parallel tracks. Whether the framework can be turned into a signed, enforceable agreement — and whether the strait can be kept open without further clashes — will determine whether the cease-fire holds or the conflict resumes.
