Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on May 22 that limited progress had been made in talks with Iran but that more work remained. He spoke after a NATO ministers meeting in Sweden and noted that the United States has not requested NATO assistance regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Reports also describe separate diplomatic contacts involving Pakistan and Qatar.
“Rubio cites some progress on Iran talks but ‘we're not there yet’”
Read at The Hindu →“US Secretary of State Rubio sees progress in Iran talks, but says 'not there yet'”
Read at CNA →No right-leaning sources covered this
Rubio's comments reflect a tentative shift toward diplomacy, with multilateral channels involving Pakistan and Qatar offering a path to de-escalation around the Strait of Hormuz.
“Value of sustained talks and avoidance of unilateral force”
Rubio's measured tone combined with the availability of other options shows pragmatic realism toward an untrustworthy regime while protecting energy security.
“Deterrence and sovereign decision-making over multilateral entanglement”
Diplomatic engagement and avoidance of NATO involvement align with reducing government coercion and preserving open commerce.
“Voluntary agreements and limits on executive power”
All perspectives accept Rubio's remarks and the Hormuz closure as settled facts without examining their origins or the 2026 date discrepancy in reporting.
“Unexamined assumptions about mediation effectiveness and crisis causation”
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