Rubio says Iran deal still possible Monday

NEW DELHI, India: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that a deal to end the war with Iran could materialise “today”, adding that Israel had the right to defend itself against attack.

“We thought we might have some news last night, maybe today, I wouldn’t read too much into it,” Rubio said in New Delhi, referring to the potential agreement.

“We have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits, get the straits open,” he told reporters as he departed the Indian capital, where he has been on an official visit.

“It has a lot of support in the Gulf… every country that we’ve walked through it (with) understands it’s not just very reasonable, but it’s the right thing for the world to get done.”

Rubio also voiced confidence that Iran would “enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter”.

He addressed reporters ahead of the next leg of his India visit, which will see him travel to Agra, the northern city famous for the Taj Mahal.

Rubio’s remarks came after US President Donald Trump tempered expectations of a deal, saying on Sunday he had told his negotiators not to “rush”.

“He’s not in a hurry, he’s not going to make a bad deal, and the president’s not going to make a bad agreement,” Rubio said of Trump.

The war erupted after the United States and Israel attacked the Islamic republic on February 28, and Iran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region. Washington and Tehran have observed a ceasefire since April 8.

Rubio told reporters that “If Hezbollah is going to launch missiles at them, Israel has every right to respond to that, or to prevent that from happening,” he said.

“That’s always been understood. It’s being understood during the ceasefire.”