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Rubio backs blockade, Vance wants deal: Is Trump’s team split on Iran war?
Al Jazeera • • nation
Key Points:
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington's economic pressure campaign against Iran is so effective that large-scale military operations are currently unnecessary, aligning with President Trump's recent remarks against further strikes.
- The US strategy, supported by key officials, focuses on intensifying sanctions and blockades while avoiding full-scale military action, despite stalled negotiations and Iran's demands for sanctions relief and military de-escalation.
- The Republican Party's midterm election defeat, partly attributed to public opposition to the Iran conflict, has increased political costs for escalation, with many Americans favoring congressional action to end the war.
- Iranian officials have maintained a firm stance, rejecting military or sanctions pressure as solutions and insisting on respect and fulfillment of their conditions for any diplomatic progress, while dismissing reports of ongoing negotiations.
- Mediation efforts, notably by Qatar, continue amid mixed signals, with the US open to diplomacy if Iran's demands become more realistic, but Iran remains skeptical and warns of retaliation against any new US attacks.
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