Rubio: US economic campaign against Iran makes major combat operations unnecessary

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that US economic sanctions and a naval blockade against Iran are so effective that President Donald Trump does not need to conduct major combat operations against the country. Speaking to reporters in Paris after G7 meetings, Rubio argued that the economic pressure is not a stalemate, citing extraordinary and growing pain for Iran. He noted Trump received input from regional allies, including Qatar's prime minister, supporting this assessment. Some top advisers, including White House chief of staff Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, prefer economic pressure over strikes, while Vice President JD Vance favors a deal. Trump acknowledged the Iran war contributed to Republican losses in last week's midterm elections.