U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Washington can see a potential end to the war with Iran, now in its fifth week, as diplomatic contacts continue and the possibility of direct talks emerges. “We can see the finish line. It’s not today, it’s not tomorrow, but it is coming,” Rubio said in an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity.”
Rubio said messages are being exchanged between Washington and Tehran and that a direct meeting “at some point” remains possible. “There are messages being exchanged, there are talks going on,” he said.
President Donald Trump, who has offered varying timelines and objectives for the war — from toppling Iran’s government to weakening its military and regional influence — said Tuesday that U.S. military operations could end within two to three weeks.
Rubio also signaled a potential reassessment of U.S. ties with NATO after the conflict, citing frustration with European allies’ reluctance to participate in offensive operations against Iran.
“Ultimately, that’s a decision for the president to make,” Rubio said. “But we are going to have to reexamine whether this alliance is still serving that purpose, or has it become a one-way street.”
European leaders have largely declined to take part in direct military action, particularly where it would involve the use of bases or airspace for strikes on Iran.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates is preparing for a more active role in the conflict, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal citing Arab officials. The UAE is considering assisting the United States in forcibly reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.
Such a move would mark the first time a Gulf state joins offensive operations against Iran in the current war.
According to the report, Emirati officials are working to advance a United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing such action and have urged the United States, European countries and Asian partners to form a coalition to secure the strait.
An Emirati official told the newspaper that Iran’s leadership believes it is fighting for its survival and may be willing to disrupt the global economy by choking off maritime traffic through the strait.
The official added that the UAE is “actively examining” military options, including clearing naval mines that Iran is believed to have deployed in the waterway to hinder oil shipments even after the war ends.