Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told several of his foreign counterparts in recent days that "for the time being" the U.S. is not expected to initiate new strikes against Iran, according to a U.S. official and a second source with knowledge of the matter.
Instead, he's said the focus is on other means of pressure,
including the sanctions initiative announced this week.
Rubio's message to foreign ministers from several allied
countries comes as the U.S. believes it's suffocating Iran with the naval
blockade, while moving ever-increasing amounts of oil out of the Strait of
Hormuz.
It's also another sign that US President Donald Trump is
exasperated with the war and wants it to be over, at least for now.
The U.S. official said that while Rubio made clear that the
U.S. isn't planning a return to major combat operations, he didn't rule out
strikes if Iran attacks first.
Another U.S. official said the clearing of mines from the
Strait of Hormuz by the U.S. Navy is a watershed moment in the war, largely
neutralizing one of Iran's main sources of leverage.
Reports say Rubio outlined the Trump administration's
current Iran policy in phone calls with several of his counterparts
-Avoiding
military action against Iran for the time being.
-Increasing economic pressure on Iran through the -U.S. naval blockade and the
new Treasury Department sanctions push.
-Transporting as much oil as possible through the strait and into global energy
markets.
A second U.S. official said this is expected to be the
policy at least until after the midterm elections, when a new military campaign
could again be on the table.
U.S. officials say the clearing of mines from most of the
Strait of Hormuz, coupled with the fact that more and more tankers have been
moving through the southern lane of the strait in recent weeks, significantly
reduces Iran's leverage over global energy markets.
"The
Iranians have lost control over the strait. Now the U.S. controls it," one
U.S. official said.
The U.S. naval blockade is depriving Iran of critical
revenue. Over the last two weeks, almost no tankers have been spotted at Kharg
Island, Iran's main oil export hub, U.S. officials say.
"The
Iranian economy is in free fall and the regime's military has been
decimated," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott told Axios, "and
we are cutting off every financial lifeline the regime has remaining."
He added,
"The President has been clear that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and
that he will use the tools necessary to ensure that objective is accomplished.
Pakistan's army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was in Tehran on Sunday
for talks with the Iranian leadership. Pakistan has been a key mediator between
the U.S. and Iran since the war began.
According to Al Arabiya, the Saudi-affiliated TV station, Munir spoke to
Trump before the trip and suggested a new proposal for the Iranians.
The White House didn't deny that Trump spoke to Munir but
said there are no current or scheduled negotiations with Iran.
U.S. officials say that the new developments in the strait
and the growing volume of oil coming out of the Gulf have deprived Iran of a
major card in any future negotiations and made any potential deal between Oman
and Iran regarding the strait irrelevant.
"Right
now we are not negotiating with Iran. We are squeezing them. The pressure could
drive the Iranians back to the table," a U.S. official said.
Woman reveals she still struggles to forgive her 15-year-old
son after he accidentally caused the d3ath of his two-month-old sibling at age
six
A woman has shared the painful story of how her then
six-year-old son accidentally caused the d3ath of his two-month-old
sibling.
According to her, the incident happened when the boy threw
the baby from a bed, resulting in the infant’s d3ath.
She said she could not bring herself to tell people what had
really happened and instead told them that the baby had d!ed naturally.
The woman acknowledged that her son was only six at the time
and that the incident was accidental, but admitted that she has struggled to
completely forgive him even years later.
Now that her son is 15, she still carries the pain of the
incident and sometimes questions whether she is a terrible mother for feeling
this way.
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