Rubio Says Economic Pressure Makes Further Iran Military Action Unnecessary for Now

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated overnight Saturday that further U.S. military action against Iran was unnecessary for now, saying the Trump administration’s economic pressure was severely weakening the regime in Tehran. Rubio described preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons as the measure of victory, rather than necessarily bringing down its government. He warned that a nuclear-armed Iran could hold the Middle East and the United States hostage, and linked his position on additional military action to the economic damage being inflicted on Tehran. In a November 10 briefing in Paris after G7 discussions, Rubio had said sanctions and the naval blockade were hurting Iran enough to make major combat operations unnecessary at that time. He said U.S. forces remained prepared to act if Iran crossed red lines, which he declined to specify. “The economic pressure is going to get even worse,” Rubio said at that briefing. Rubio said on November 10 that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the Treasury Department and intelligence agencies were closing channels used to evade sanctions. Washington remained open to an agreement, he said, while rejecting Iran’s demands for reparations. He also said Qatar and other countries were continuing mediation efforts and that the United States was not discouraging them.