U.S. and Iran Report Progress Toward Draft Deal to End War

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that slight progress had been made in talks with Iran and that a draft deal could be announced within days. Rubio spoke in New Delhi after Pakistan's army chief left Tehran following meetings with senior Iranian officials. He told reporters there was a chance an agreement could be reached later that day, the next day, or within a couple of days.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said negotiators had aimed to produce a 14-clause memorandum of understanding. The spokesman added that a trend toward rapprochement existed but did not guarantee agreement on major issues. Iran stated that its nuclear program would not be part of the initial talks and that gaps between the parties remained.

Fighting continued on the Lebanon front. Israel ordered residents of 15 villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of planned strikes on Hezbollah targets. Hezbollah said a message from Iran's foreign minister indicated that any final agreement would include a ceasefire in Lebanon.

" — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, May 23, 2026 (Al-Monitor) Iran's chief negotiator warned that renewed U.S. strikes would meet a stronger response than at the start of the war on February 28. Weeks of negotiations hosted by Pakistan have not yet restored full access to the Strait of Hormuz or produced a permanent resolution.

A 39-year-old Tehran resident said the current state of neither war nor peace prevented normal planning, including starting a new job. Iran's foreign minister told the UN Secretary-General that Tehran remained engaged despite what it called repeated betrayals of diplomacy and excessive demands by Washington.