Rubio says US not expected to launch new strikes on Iran

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has informed foreign ministers from allied countries that the US is not expected to launch new strikes against Iran for the time being. Instead, the focus will be on other means of pressure, including economic sanctions. This comes after the US Treasury Department announced new sanctions against Iran.

According to Axios, Rubio's message to foreign ministers indicates that the US is prioritizing economic pressure on Iran through a naval blockade and sanctions, rather than military action. The US believes it is making progress in "suffocating" Iran, with increasing amounts of oil being moved out of the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Navy has also cleared mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a development that has largely neutralized one of Iran's main sources of leverage. Meanwhile, the US State Department is reportedly preparing to return diplomats to embassies in the Middle East that were previously evacuated, according to Haaretz citing The New York Times.

Brief written by urgent.news from Middle East Eye, Axios, Haaretz — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.