Marco Rubio Says U.S. Economic Pressure on Iran Is Working So Well That New Major Strikes Are Unnecessary

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Washington’s sanctions and naval blockade are inflicting such severe economic damage on Iran that President Donald Trump currently sees no need to launch major new military operations, although the United States remains prepared to act if Tehran crosses certain red lines. ⠀ Speaking to reporters in Paris on November 10, following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers, Rubio rejected suggestions that avoiding further military strikes amounted to a stalemate. He argued that economic pressure could achieve Washington’s objectives without renewed large-scale combat. ⠀ “The economic pain that is being inflicted on Iran right now, and on that regime, is extraordinary,” Rubio said, warning that sanctions were becoming increasingly painful. He predicted that Iran’s remaining oil shipments at sea would soon run out, leaving Tehran with almost no oil revenue. ⠀ “The Iranian people deserve better than to be a third-world country, which is where their leadership is taking them,” he said, accusing Iran’s government of destroying its own economy. ⠀ Rubio also rejected Tehran’s negotiating conditions as “totally unrealistic,” but said Washington remained prepared for diplomacy if Iran changed its demands. He insisted that any agreement must serve U.S. interests and would not be concluded merely to secure a deal. ⠀ On Iran’s demand for compensation for wartime destruction, Rubio responded: “They should be the ones paying reparations because they’re the ones who destabilized the region.” He also rejected demands for what he called “pallets of cash,” saying Trump would not authorize such payments. ⠀ Referring to sanctions relief under former President Barack Obama, Rubio alleged that Iran had spent the resulting funds on weapons rather than hospitals and universities. ⠀ Turning to Lebanon, he rejected any Iranian role in negotiations over the country’s future. “Why would we talk to Iran about Lebanon? That’s none of their business,” he said, arguing that Washington should deal directly with Lebanese authorities. ⠀ Rubio also blamed Tehran for instability in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza and Syria, accusing Iranian leaders of supporting armed groups across the region. ⠀ His remarks came a day after Trump announced he would hold off on renewed strikes following appeals from regional governments, including Qatar. Washington’s naval blockade remains in place as diplomatic efforts to end the war continue.