US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that everyone would love to see an agreement with Iran, but added that “it hasn’t happened yet,” according to Reuters.

“There must be a plan B if Iran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” Rubio added, noting there was no specific request for NATO assistance in the strait. He also reiterated that Pakistan remains the “main interlocutor” in talks with Iran.

Meanwhile, citing a source with knowledge of the matter, Reuters reported that Qatar had sent a negotiating team to Tehran, in consultation with the US, to facilitate secure an agreement to end the war.

Market reaction

Major Wall Street indexes rose 0.5% to 0.7% on the day, while the U.S. Dollar (USD) index remains steady above 99.20 following these headlines.