Rubio: Agreement Expected Within Days, Strait to Reopen 'Regardless'

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that despite the shadow cast by the latest US military strike on Iran over a fragile ceasefire agreement, an agreement between the two sides could still be reached within days, and the blocked Strait of Hormuz would be reopened "regardless." According to AFP, Rubio told reporters in Jaipur, India: "Talks are still ongoing in Qatar today, and we will see if we can make progress. I think all parties are still negotiating the wording of the draft agreement, so it will take a few more days." He also added that President Trump "has expressed a willingness to facilitate an agreement. He will either reach a good agreement or he will not sign it." The US military conducted a "self-defense strike" on southern Iran today, while senior Iranian negotiators arrived in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to begin the latest round of talks aimed at ending the three-month-old war. The US-Iran war has led Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical to global energy exports. In this regard, Rubio emphasized: "The strait must remain open. It must be open regardless, because the current situation is illegal, unlawful, and an unsustainable and unacceptable situation for the world."