During a Cabinet meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the Iran conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States preferred a diplomatic resolution and that there had been some progress in negotiations, AP reported on May 27. The meeting comes days after Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on May 24 that a U.S.-Iran deal "has been largely negotiated" and after U.S. Central Command conducted "self-defense" strikes on Iranian military sites on May 25, following which Iran threatened retaliation.

Iranian state media has reported that the draft memorandum of understanding includes provisions for the United States to lift its blockade on Iranian ports, for Iran to allow commercial vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz, and for Iran and Oman to maintain an operating mechanism in the strait. However, the White House has rejected these claims. The Cabinet discussion and ongoing negotiations come amid disapproval among Iran hawks regarding a potential deal. At the same time, congressional and domestic disapproval of the war is growing.