Washington: US media outlets reported on Wednesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed several of his foreign counterparts that the United States will not launch new strikes against Iran. According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Axios website, citing a US official and a second informed source, stated that “Rubio informed several of his foreign counterparts in recent days that the United States is not expected to initiate new strikes against Iran at this time.”
The website quoted a US official as saying, “Rubio clarified that the United States is not planning a return to large-scale combat operations, but he did not rule out launching strikes if Iran initiates an attack.” Another US official stated that “the US Navy’s demining of the Strait of Hormuz represents a watershed moment in the war, as it has largely neutralized one of Iran’s main sources of leverage.”
Sources indicated that “Rubio, in phone calls with several of his counterparts, outlined the Trump administration’s current policy toward Iran, which includes avoiding military action against Iran at present, increasing economic pressure through the US naval blockade and the new sanctions initiative led by the Treasury Department, and transporting as much oil as possible through the strait to global energy markets.”
In the same vein, US officials stated that “the demining of most of the Strait of Hormuz, along with the increasing number of oil tankers passing through the southern part of the strait in recent weeks, significantly reduces Iran’s influence over global energy markets.”
Axios quoted a US official as saying, “The Iranians have lost control of the strait.” “And now the United States controls it.” Officials added that the US naval blockade “is depriving Iran of vital revenue,” noting that “for the past two weeks, there have been virtually no oil tankers spotted at Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub.”
Tommy Pigott, Deputy State Department Spokesperson, told Axios, “The Iranian economy is rapidly collapsing, the regime’s military has been decimated, and we are cutting off every remaining financial lifeline to the regime.” He added, “The president has been clear that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and that he will use the necessary tools to ensure that this goal is achieved.”
US President Donald Trump announced on July 8 that the ceasefire agreed upon with Iran on the night of June 18 was no longer in effect. Since July 8, the US military has carried out several waves of attacks on Iran, with US Central Command claiming they were in response to Tehran’s actions against commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran, in turn, retaliated with strikes targeting US bases in several Middle Eastern countries and closed the strait. Hormuz, as Washington was also accused of violating the ceasefire agreement.