US Secretary of State Rules Out New Strikes on Iran for Now

The American website Axios reported that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed several of his counterparts that “at present, the United States does not expect to launch new strikes on Iran,” but will instead focus on other pressure measures. According to the website, Rubio briefed foreign ministers of Washington’s allies in recent days that the United States does not currently anticipate launching new strikes on Iran, focusing instead on sanctions and economic pressure, as stated by a U.S. official and another informed source. The website quoted U.S. sources as saying that “Rubio clarified that Washington does not plan at this stage to return to large-scale combat operations,” but did not rule out strikes if Iran launches an attack first. Another U.S. official said this is expected to remain U.S. policy, at least until after the midterm elections. U.S. administration officials added that the clearance of mines from most areas of the Strait of Hormuz, along with increased tanker traffic through it, has significantly reduced Iran’s bargaining power.