Rubio says potential developments expected on Iran before Trump deadline

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday he expects potential developments "later today" on whether Iran will come to the negotiating table, as tensions remain high over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Hope we have more news later today on that," Rubio told reporters when asked if Iran is expected to come to the table for peace talks, ahead of a meeting with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters at the State Department.

"The whole world's been impacted unfortunately because Iran is violating every law known by striking commercial vessels in the Straits of Hormuz, and it's a big problem for the world," he said.

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump gave Iran until 8 p.m. Tuesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reach an agreement or face attacks on its energy infrastructure.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,400 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Iran has also restricted the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.