Rubio: US Awaiting Iranian Response on Proposal to End War

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the United States is expecting a response from Iran on a proposal to end the war. "We should know something today. We're expecting a response from them," Rubio told reporters in Rome. He added that officials hope the reply will allow negotiations to proceed in earnest.

The remarks come after reports earlier this week that the two countries were nearing agreement on a 14-point memorandum of understanding. The document would aim to halt the conflict and restart discussions around Iran's nuclear program. Iran stated Thursday that it is still reviewing messages received via Pakistani mediators and has not yet reached a conclusion or delivered a reply.

" The spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament on national security posted the comment on the social platform X. Rubio's statements were made while he visited Pope Leo XIV. He noted that both sides have continued limited exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz despite a declared ceasefire.

" "We've seen a report overnight that Iran has established, or trying to establish, some agency that's going to control traffic in the straits. That would actually be unacceptable," Rubio said. The narrow waterway carries around a fifth of global oil supply.

Disruptions there have triggered a global energy shock. " Oil prices have surged amid the uncertainty, affecting economies worldwide.

During his visit to Italy, Rubio addressed strains within the NATO alliance. He cited an instance in which one NATO member denied the United States use of bases during a recent contingency. Rubio said the denial created unnecessary dangers and impeded the mission, though not severely.

"If one of the main reasons why the U.S. is in Nato is the ability to have forces deployed in Europe that we could project to other contingencies, and now that's no longer the case, at least when it comes to some Nato members, that's a problem and has to be examined," he said.

Rubio emphasized that any decision on adjusting U.S. troop levels in Europe rests with the president. He noted that a partial withdrawal of forces from Germany involves less than 14 percent of the total U.S. presence there. The move was described as part of a pre-programmed plan to shift burden-sharing within the alliance.

In a separate development, the State Department is reviewing all 53 Mexican consulates operating in the United States. A U.S. official said the review could lead to decisions on closing some posts amid growing tensions between the countries. The action reflects broader strains in bilateral relations but details on specific concerns were not disclosed.

Officials have not indicated a timeline for completing the assessment.

“We should know something today. We're expecting a response from them.”

The convergence of the Iran negotiations, energy market turmoil, and alliance friction comes as the Trump administration balances multiple foreign policy challenges simultaneously. Further updates depend on the content of Iran's expected response and how it shapes the next phase of talks.