US President Donald Trump has signaled he is in no hurry to finalize a framework agreement with Iran, despite earlier reports that a deal was largely done. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed a solid offer is on the table but warned that alternatives remain possible.
Washington, D.C., 24 May 2026
President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the United States will not rush into a deal with Iran, as diplomatic efforts continue to end the war.
The United States and Iran have been locked in a protracted conflict that has drawn in regional powers including Israel and Saudi Arabia, with critical shipping lanes like the Strait of Hormuz becoming flashpoints. Against this backdrop, recent days saw an intensification of diplomatic contacts.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Washington has put forward a concrete proposal. “Wir werden der Diplomatie jede Chance auf Erfolg geben, bevor wir die Alternativen prüfen,” Rubio said, emphasizing the administration’s preference for a negotiated outcome.
He described the terms as a substantial basis for talks. “Es liege ein ‘ziemlich solides Angebot’ auf dem Tisch,” Rubio noted, signaling that the door was open for Tehran to engage seriously.
However, Rubio also made clear that the United States would not wait indefinitely. “Es werde entweder eine gute Vereinbarung geben oder man werde mit dem Land ‘auf andere Weise’ umgehen,” he stated, underscoring the presence of alternatives should diplomacy fail.
Trump later took to his social media platform Truth Social to temper expectations of a rapid breakthrough. “Die Verhandlungen verlaufen geordnet und konstruktiv, und ich habe meine Vertreter angewiesen, beim Deal nichts zu überstürzen, da die Zeit auf unserer Seite ist,” he wrote.
He added a blunt warning: “Es darf keine Fehler geben!” The post came after the president had said a day earlier that a framework agreement was “largely” negotiated—a remark that had fueled speculation of an imminent announcement.
The contrasting signals from the White House left analysts parsing the administration’s strategy. Trump’s insistence that he is “nicht in Eile” and will not conclude “einen schlechten Deal” suggested a deliberate effort to avoid repeating what he sees as past diplomatic overreach.
Rubio, for his part, expressed confidence that Tehran could be coaxed to the table. “Dazu sagte Rubio, er setze darauf, dass Teheran zu ‘sehr realen, bedeutenden, zeitlich begrenzten Verhandlungen zu dem Atom-Thema’ bereit sei,” he remarked, linking any progress to Iran’s willingness to address its nuclear program.
The prospect of a declaration of intent between the two adversaries had been rumored in diplomatic circles, with several officials hinting at a breakthrough earlier in the week. No official confirmation has materialized, however.
The war, which erupted over disputed violations of nuclear accords and broader regional rivalries, remains the pressing backdrop. Both Washington and Tehran face domestic and international pressure to halt the fighting.
A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, reiterated that the US goal remains a durable diplomatic settlement and that the current offer is still on the table.
As allies in the region watch closely, the coming days will determine whether the narrow window for a negotiated end to the war can be held open, or whether the momentum will shift toward the “other ways” Rubio alluded to.
