US making progress with Iran on Strait of Hormuz, but Trump remains cautious: Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday said Washington has made ldquosignificant progressrdquo in negotiations with Iran over reopening the Strait of Hormuz though he stressed that President Donald Trump remains cautious and will not accept what he described as a ldquobad dealrdquoRubiorsquos remarks came during his ongoing fourday visit to India amid reports that the United States and Iran are exploring a preliminary arrangement aimed at reopening the crucial shipping route before moving towards a broader agreement on nuclear and regional issuesRubio says negotiations still underwaySpeaking to reporters before leaving for Agra Rubio said discussions between the two sides were continuing and that there were expectations of possible developments soonldquoWork is still in progress We thought we might have some news last night maybe todayrdquo Rubio saidHe indicated that a framework was being discussed under which the Strait of Hormuz would reopen while negotiations on Iranrsquos nuclear programme would continue under a timebound arrangementldquoWe have what I think is a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of getting the Strait open and entering into a very real significant timelimited negotiation on the nuclear mattersrdquo Rubio saidStrait of Hormuz remains key issue in talksThe Strait of Hormuz is considered one of the worldrsquos most strategically important shipping lanes with nearly onefifth of global energy supplies passing through the route under normal conditionsShipping disruptions began after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes on Iran on February 28 prompting retaliatory attacks and escalating tensions across West AsiaAlthough a fragile ceasefire has been in place since April 8 shipping movement through the Strait continues to face disruptionsRubio said many countries support efforts to restore stability and ensure uninterrupted maritime trade in the regionTrump will not rush into agreement says RubioRubio said President Trump was committed to diplomacy but would not enter into an agreement that compromises US interestsldquoAs the President said hersquos not in a hurry hersquos not going to make a bad dealrdquo Rubio statedHe added that the US would continue giving diplomacy ldquoevery chance to succeedrdquo before considering alternative optionsRubio also reiterated Washingtonrsquos longstanding position that Iran should never be allowed to possess nuclear weaponsldquoNo one has been more serious about the threat of a nuclear Iran than President Trump has beenrdquo he saidThe US Secretary of State expressed confidence that negotiations would either lead to a strong agreement or compel the US to pursue other measuresRubio comments on Lebanon and HezbollahRubio also addressed questions regarding the situation in Lebanon and tensions involving HezbollahHe said the United States has been engaged in regular discussions involving the Lebanese and Israeli governments under an existing 45day ceasefire arrangementAccording to Rubio the primary obstacle to longterm peace in Lebanon remains Hezbollah which he described as an Iranian proxy groupHe referred to a recent Hezbollah statement calling for the overthrow of the Lebanese government and said such developments complicate peace efforts in the regionRubio added that Israel has the right to defend itself if faced with attacks or missile threats from HezbollahRubio to attend Quad meeting after Agra Jaipur visitThe US Secretary of State also spoke about his plans to visit the Taj Mahal during his India trip describing it as one of the wonders of the worldRubio said visiting important cultural landmarks was a way of showing respect to the countries he visitsAfter Agra Rubio is expected to travel to Jaipur before returning to New Delhi for the meeting of Quad foreign ministers scheduled on TuesdayHe described India as a country with deep history cultural diversity and significant global importanceWith inputs from PTI