No strikes, no peace deal: How Trump plans to tighten the screws on Iran
We won’t do a stupid deal.
US President Donald Trump has settled on a third option in the Iran war, choosing to intensify economic pressure on Tehran rather than resume military strikes or agree to a peace deal on terms Washington considers unacceptable, according to an Axios report. The third option we have is to continue to do what we do now,” Rubio said. “The President is not under false time pressure, the Iranians are inflicting major damage on their own economy,” Rubio mentioned. An American official close to the administration told Axios that Trump had been weighing several options without being certain which course to pursue. Rubio was among the key figures in Trump’s national security team who advocated this approach, according to administration sources cited by Axios. Speaking to reporters after the G7 ministerial meeting, he said Tehran wanted an agreement but had failed to put forward constructive proposals.
“The President doesn’t just have two options. It’s not just returning to war or signing a ridiculous peace deal. The administration instead plans to maintain its economic offensive and naval blockade while pursuing a new operation, ‘Iron Gate’. The operation is aimed at dismantling ground transportation routes allegedly used to smuggle advanced weapons and technology. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent, CIA director John Ratcliffe and presidential adviser Jared Kushner were also involved in the discussions. Rubio also expressed doubts about the prospects of an immediate diplomatic breakthrough, saying Iran’s preconditions for formal negotiations were unworkable.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio outlined the administration’s approach during a meeting with G7 foreign ministers on Tuesday, saying Trump was not limited to choosing between renewed military action and a negotiated agreement with Iran. However, after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Monday, Trump signalled that he preferred to avoid another round of military strikes.