U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently informed some allied nations that the United States will not initiate new military operations against Iran for the time being, Axios reported on the 25th, citing U.S. officials.
According to the report, Secretary Rubio emphasized that the U.S. is currently focusing on other pressure tactics, such as economic sanctions, stating that the likelihood of deploying military measures like airstrikes is low for now. He also noted efforts to transport as much crude oil as possible through the Strait of Hormuz.
One U.S. official indicated that this focus on economic sanctions will guide the government's policy at least until the midterm elections, but military options could be reconsidered after the elections.
This news comes as the Trump administration announced new economic sanctions against Iran the day before, alongside plans for a maritime blockade and mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz. Another U.S. official stated that the U.S. Navy's mine-clearing operations have significantly weakened Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, which had been a key negotiating tool for Iran. He remarked, "The Iranians have lost control over the Strait of Hormuz; the U.S. now controls it."
Axios noted that the U.S. government's shift towards economic sanctions reflects President Trump's discomfort with the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has not yet concluded, and signals a desire for a cessation of hostilities ahead of the November midterm elections.
Since the outbreak of hostilities in late February, the U.S. and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire in a memorandum of understanding in June, but tensions escalated again in July when the U.S. claimed that Iranian forces attacked a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting renewed military action. As a result, both sides have returned to a confrontational stance, with the conflict now shifting towards economic measures under President Trump's focus on sanctions rather than military operations.
Meanwhile, General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, who is mediating between the U.S. and Iran, reportedly proposed new negotiation terms to President Trump before visiting Iran this week.
Additionally, Iran's economy has been severely impacted by U.S. maritime blockades and economic sanctions, with inflation reportedly soaring nearly twofold compared to the previous year. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pham told Axios, "The Iranian economy is rapidly deteriorating, and the Iranian regime's military is in a state of collapse. We are cutting off all remaining financial lifelines for the Iranian regime." He added, "President Trump has made it clear that Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons and will use all necessary means to achieve that goal."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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