U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that negotiating a deal with Iran could "take a few days", quashing hopes for an imminent end to the conflict after U.S. forces conducted what Washington called defensive strikes in southern Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they reserved the right to retaliate against any ceasefire violations, while Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said countries in the region could no longer be a shield for U.S. bases.
Both sides had indicated progress on a memorandum of understanding that could halt the war and restart shipping through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, while giving negotiators 60 days to negotiate more complex issues including Iran's nuclear programme.
