Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State [AP=Yonhap News]

Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, announced on the 22nd (local time) that there has been some progress in the ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran.

He also reaffirmed the US's fundamental principle that "Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons" and stated that the issue of Iran's highly enriched uranium must be resolved to achieve this.

Speaking after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Helsingborg, Sweden, Secretary Rubio said, "We are awaiting news regarding the ongoing dialogue," and added, "There has been some progress."

"I don't want to exaggerate, but there has been some movement, which is a good thing," he stated.

He continued, "Iran can never possess nuclear weapons," and "To achieve this, we must resolve the issue of highly enriched uranium."

Iran possesses approximately 440 kg of highly enriched uranium at an enrichment level of 60%. The United States views the issue of acquiring so-called "near-weapons-grade" enriched uranium, which can be rapidly converted into weapons-grade uranium, as a key factor in preventing Iran from possessing nuclear weapons.

Amidst this, foreign media reported that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei banned the export of enriched uranium. The previous day, US President Donald Trump reiterated the US's intention to secure Iran's highly enriched uranium.

Regarding Iran's push to collect tolls for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary Rubio stated, "They are trying to persuade Oman to join them in collecting tolls on international waterways," and "No country in the world should accept this."

He reiterated his call for the passage of a UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to Iran's obstruction of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

The resolution, proposed by Bahrain under US leadership, calls for Iran to cease attacks and threats against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and to refrain from imposing tolls on ships transiting the strait.

The United States previously attempted to pass a similar Security Council resolution with Bahrain and others last month, but it was thwarted by a veto from China and Russia. Since then, some content has been modified, and efforts to pass the resolution are underway again.

Secretary Rubio said, "Unfortunately, some countries on the Security Council are considering exercising their veto power," and "We are doing our best to reach the kind of global consensus necessary to prevent this from happening."