Arabic version: روبيو وفانس يشيران إلى مسارين مختلفين بشأن إيران

According to Al Jazeera, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says economic pressure on Iran is severe enough to avoid major combat operations, while Vice President JD Vance favours pursuing a deal with Tehran.

Rubio made the comments after meeting G7 foreign ministers in Paris on Tuesday. He said Washington did not need military strikes if economic measures were achieving the same objective, and said pressure on Iran would intensify. He also urged allies to help protect shipping around the Strait of Hormuz, where he said US forces would remain.

President Donald Trump said on Monday that further strikes against Iran were “quite unlikely”, while describing positive momentum towards ending the conflict. He said the United States remained “locked and loaded” if circumstances changed and referred to a continuation of the blockade of Iranian ports as the status quo. Reuters, citing an informed source, reported that Vance prefers a deal that Trump does not currently believe is possible.

Negotiations have largely stalled for months. Iran has proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and restarting talks, while seeking the lifting of sanctions imposed after the collapse of a June memorandum of understanding, a reduced US military presence, reinstated oil waivers and the release of frozen funds. Rubio said Washington remained open to diplomacy but called Iran’s demands “totally unrealistic”.

Iranian officials have questioned reports of progress. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the war would not end through military means or increased sanctions, while top security chief Mohsen Rezaei said there were no negotiations and warned Iran would retaliate against any new US attack. Qatar said it was continuing mediation and had received positive reactions from both sides.