Rubio — “Significant Progress, Not Final”; Pezeshkian Urges “Utmost Caution”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a cooler tone today than the President had on Saturday night, saying: “Significant progress, although not final progress, has been made.” Rubio repeated the US position that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon and must turn over its highly enriched uranium, and the Strait of Hormuz must be opened. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose office released a statement today, said: “We remain ready for talks, but the experience of past negotiations with the US forces us to exercise the utmost caution.” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi posted on social media early Sunday that Iran is “seeking peace with strength, pursuing diplomacy with dignity and firmly defending the territorial integrity, independence and rights of our beloved Iran”.
The Rubio/Pezeshkian/Gharibabadi triangulation is the diagnostic for where the deal really stands: Rubio confirms progress but applies friction on the uranium and Hormuz conditions; Pezeshkian signals openness but warns of mistrust; Gharibabadi’s “dignity” framing pre-positions Iran to walk away if conditions are tightened. The Trump-Netanyahu call yesterday reinforced the US red line that no final agreement is possible without complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear programme and removal of all enriched uranium from Iran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi today spoke with European and regional counterparts and the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, seeking to defuse tensions.