U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed G7 foreign ministers in Paris on Tuesday that the United States no longer requires major combat operations against Iran because its economic campaign is proving highly effective. Speaking after two days of meetings, Rubio explained that the current pressure on Tehran’s economy is achieving the same strategic objectives as military strikes. He noted that President Donald Trump had concluded that economic means were sufficient for the time being, a view shared by regional allies who have urged a pause in military threats.
According to The Hindu BusinessLine, Rubio warned that Iran’s economic pain would intensify in the coming months. He stated that the small volume of crude that slipped past blockades during a short lull in fighting was running out. Once that supply vanished, he predicted that nearly all of Tehran’s oil income would disappear. The Hindu BusinessLine reported that Rubio described the compounding nature of these sanctions as extraordinary, attributing the worsening situation to the decisions of Iran’s leadership.
Reuters reported that Rubio pushed back against the idea that the current situation represented a stalemate. He argued that Tehran had never faced such difficulty moving its energy exports on world markets. The report noted that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and intelligence agencies were working to close remaining avenues for Iran to circumvent sanctions. Reuters also indicated that Vice President JD Vance preferred a diplomatic deal, though Trump remained convinced a tenable agreement was not yet possible.
Al-Monitor reported that diplomatic efforts were gathering pace, with Tehran pressing Washington to agree to terms for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested that the conflict would not be resolved solely through military means or intensified sanctions. Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called for an all-out diplomatic effort to end the conflict and prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who led the Paris gathering, warned that the risk of new escalation had not been completely ruled out, noting the significant time and energy devoted to addressing the issue with Rubio and the Qatari prime minister.