President Donald Trump has rejected both the resumption of large scale military strikes and the signing of a peace deal with Iran, opting instead for a strategy of extreme economic pressure to cripple the Iranian regime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 ministers that the administration is pursuing this “third option” to force Tehran’s submission through a naval blockade and sanctions, arguing that the Islamic government is already “bleeding” economically and that the U.S. can achieve its objectives without renewed combat operations.
The strategy is supported by other top officials including CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and includes the use of Task Force Iron Gate to block Iranian weapons supply routes. While Tehran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi dismissed the approach as “inhumane and delusional,” Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said peace talks remain deadlocked because Washington has failed to meet Tehran’s 7 conditions. Rezaei added that Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu no longer have the political capacity for a protracted war, claiming any new U.S. attack would last only three to five days.
