“This problem will be solved, as the president’s made clear, one way or the other.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered that blunt warning while hinting the Trump administration could be on the verge of a major breakthrough with Iran after weeks of escalating tensions tied to Operation Epic Fury and the growing standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program. Speaking to reporters during a visit to India, Rubio repeatedly teased that behind-the-scenes negotiations are actively underway and suggested a major development could come within days. “There may be news later today,” Rubio said. “There may not be. I hope there will be. I’m not sure yet.” Rubio’s comments also come as Trump appears to be quietly reshuffling his schedule because what’s happening between the United States and Iran is becoming increasingly serious behind the scenes. Trump announced Friday that he would skip Memorial Day weekend plans and miss Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration in the Bahamas in order to remain in Washington during what he described as an “important period of time” for the country. Trump previously told reporters he had “a thing called Iran” preventing him from fully committing to attending the wedding. The Trump administration has continued ramping up pressure on Iran following Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear-linked facilities earlier this year. Since then, tensions across the Middle East have continued boiling over as the White House pushes Tehran to back down from several key demands. Among the administration’s biggest conditions: Iran must fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz without restrictions and hand over its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Rubio suggested that progress may finally be happening. “There’s been some progress done, some progress made,” Rubio said. “Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done.” He added that the administration could potentially have something to announce “later today, tomorrow, or in a couple days.” The Strait of Hormuz is now turning into one of the biggest pressure points in the entire Iran showdown. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moves through the narrow waterway, meaning any disruption could immediately send shockwaves through the global economy and energy markets. Rubio also reiterated one of President Donald Trump’s biggest red lines: Iran can never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. “They need to turn over highly enriched uranium. We need to address that issue. We need to address the issue of enrichment,” Rubio said. At the same time, Rubio emphasized that Trump still prefers to resolve the conflict diplomatically instead of militarily, though he made clear the administration believes the issue will ultimately be resolved regardless. “These are the president’s points consistently,” Rubio said. “His preference is always to solve problems such as these through a negotiated diplomatic solution.” Meanwhile, Iran appears to be publicly signaling some openness to negotiations for the first time in weeks. Iranian officials confirmed that Tehran is working to finalize a “memorandum of understanding” with the United States through talks reportedly being mediated by Pakistan. Still, Iranian officials are simultaneously insisting the United States has “nothing to do” with how the Strait of Hormuz is managed, showing just how shaky any possible agreement still is. Rubio previously warned during a NATO foreign ministers meeting earlier this month that if Iran refuses to cooperate, the United States and its allies may ultimately be forced to intervene. “Then someone’s going to have to go in and do something about it,” Rubio said at the time.