Rubio signals US shift from strikes to sanctions on Iran

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told several allied foreign ministers that the Trump administration does not expect to launch new strikes against Iran "for the time being," signaling a decisive shift toward economic and maritime pressure tactics, Axios reported on Tuesday. Citing a US official and a second source familiar with the discussions, the outlet said Rubio outlined plans to increase pressure through a US naval blockade and a fresh sanctions initiative announced by the Treasury Department. The administration also intends to facilitate the movement of Iranian oil through the Strait of Hormuz into global markets, according to the report.

Military Posture and Timeline

One US official told Axios that Rubio made clear Washington was not planning a return to major combat operations, although he did not rule out military strikes if Iran attacks first. A second US official described the clearing of mines from the Strait of Hormuz by the US Navy as a potential turning point in the conflict, noting it had largely neutralized one of Tehran’s principal forms of leverage. The current approach could remain in place until after the US midterm elections, after which a renewed military campaign might again become an option, one US official said.

Tehran Denies Clearance Operations

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi on Tuesday rejected reports that US forces had cleared mines from the waterway or were preparing to deploy mine-sweeping vessels. "If the United States claims that the mines have been completely cleared, why doesn't a US ship pass through?" Gharibabadi said. "If they have cleared them, why don't they pass? No one except Iran knows the location of these mines."

He warned that US mine-sweeping vessels entering the area would be considered legitimate targets. "If US mine-sweeping vessels enter the region, they will become targets for us," Gharibabadi said, adding that US President Donald Trump’s comments about mine clearance were intended only to calm markets. The conflicting claims over mine clearance operations come as tensions remain high over the strategic chokepoint, which handles a significant portion of global oil shipments.