US warns Iran of fresh strikes as Rubio rejects ceasefire terms

The United States has warned Iran of further military strikes, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejecting Tehran's ceasefire terms as "outrageous and ridiculous," as the conflict enters its ninth month amid stalled diplomatic efforts. The warning follows the Republican Party's defeat in Tuesday's mid-term elections, which Vice President JD Vance blamed on the unpopular war, while Rubio defended the strikes as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The US has also launched Task Force Iron Gate to expand its naval blockade of Iranian ports, which has already prevented over $25 billion in crude oil exports. Diplomatic talks mediated by Qatar remain deadlocked, with Iran demanding an end to the blockade, sanctions removal, asset unfreezing, war compensation, and a halt to regional military operations. President Trump warned that 38 infrastructure targets, including major bridges, are selected for bombing if negotiations fail.