Trump swung between war and diplomacy — then chose a third way
When Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with his G7 counterparts in Paris on Tuesday, he told them that President Trump had considered resuming the war with Iran or cutting a deal — but chose a third option: strangling the Iranian regime, three people who attended the meeting told Axios. Why it matters: The Iran war has become a political albatross in Trump's second term, costing Republicans…
President Trump's administration has been wrestling with Iran policy, oscillating between military action and diplomatic negotiations. At a recent G7 meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that Trump is not favoring a "stupid deal" or a return to war, but rather maintaining economic sanctions and naval blockades against Iran, along with a new operation called "Iron Gate" to disrupt Iran's supply of weaponry and technology.
Rubio emphasized that the U.S. is imposing severe economic costs on Iran, preventing it from funding terrorist organizations or rebuilding its military. This strategy is backed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Jared Kushner, among others. However, not all U.S. allies are on board with this approach, with concerns about potential instability and economic consequences.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader has urged his government to end the "no war, no deal" stance and negotiate a deal. If the current economic pressure persists, Iran may feel compelled to escalate tensions in the region to break the status quo.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
