U.S. reports 'slight progress' in Iran peace talks as Pakistan mediates, but uranium and Strait of Hormuz disputes remain

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reports 'slight progress' in peace talks with Iran, mediated by Pakistan, but major disputes remain over Iran's enriched uranium stockpile and control of the Strait of Hormuz. While NATO discusses post-war plans for the vital waterway, which Iran has closed, the U.S. maintains a blockade on Iranian ports. The conflict has also seen separate military strikes on Iran by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

U.S.-Iran peace talks progress

• ▪Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a directive that the country's near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad.
• ▪President Donald Trump's decision to continue peace talks sparked tension with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• ▪Major disagreements remain over Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium and control of the Strait of Hormuz.
• ▪U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported "slight progress" in peace talks with Iran on May 22, 2026.

Pakistan mediation efforts

• ▪Pakistan's interior minister, Syed Mohsin Naqvi, also met with Iranian leaders in Tehran twice during the same week.
• ▪Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on May 22, 2026, to mediate a third round of talks.
• ▪Qatar sent a negotiating team to Tehran, coordinating with countries including the U.S., Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Strait of Hormuz closure

• ▪The U.S. rejected Iran's proposal for a "tolling system" to control shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with Secretary Rubio calling it "unacceptable."
• ▪The U.S. is enforcing a blockade against Iranian ports, having redirected 94 commercial vessels and disabled four others since mid-April.
• ▪Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for approximately 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas.
• ▪The U.S. military has not found or destroyed any explosive mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

NATO response planning

• ▪U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed a "plan B" with NATO ministers for reopening the strait if diplomatic talks fail.
• ▪NATO foreign ministers met in Helsingborg, Sweden, to discuss a potential role in policing the Strait of Hormuz post-war.

Saudi Arabia strikes on Iran

• ▪Saudi Arabia launched multiple attacks on Iranian military facilities during the war, according to regional officials and a Western diplomat.
• ▪Saudi Arabia also struck hideouts of Iraqi militias, like Kataib Hezbollah, believed to be behind drone attacks on its territory.

UAE strikes on Iran

• ▪The United Arab Emirates launched at least one attack on Iranian military facilities during the war.
• ▪The UAE had advocated for a collective military response from Gulf Arab nations since the war's beginning.

3 sources