Topline

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the U.S. could have some news to announce “maybe today” on a deal with Iran, but reiterated President Donald Trump’s remarks about not being in a hurry, as optimism about a potential peace agreement caused global stocks to soar and oil prices to plummet.

Rubio, who is on a diplomatic trip to India, told reporters in New Delhi that work on the deal was still in progress and he thought they might have had some news last night or “maybe today.”

The secretary of state said he believes there is a “pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the straits” and enter into a “time-limited negotiation” on nuclear matters.

When asked what the holdup was, Rubio said it was just the response, as it takes the Iranian system “a little while longer to get back.”

Rubio claimed the deal has broad support in the Gulf and around the world, but repeated Trump’s comments about not wanting to rush into an agreement or sign a “bad deal.”

The secretary of state said the U.S. will give diplomacy “every chance to succeed” before exploring any “alternatives.”

He then warned that the U.S. would either have a good agreement or “deal with it another way,” but noted that Washington would prefer a “good agreement.”