Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that while the United States is prepared for a resumption of full hostilities, Washington prefers a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Tehran. Rubio noted that talks have actually never stopped, with active conversations taking place directly or through intermediaries, and he stressed the importance of keeping diplomatic channels open.
According to Rubio, the president’s preference is to solve challenges diplomatically and peacefully whenever possible. He made the comment during a press conference in Atlanta, where the United States is hosting the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
President Donald Trump suggested that hostilities would soon end, telling a Kansas City radio station that “it’s going to get wrapped up soon.” He did not specify whether the eventual resolution would be achieved through peaceful dialogue or military action.
Recent reports indicate that Qatari mediators have made progress in negotiations, presenting proposals that could allow international inspectors into Iran in exchange for relief from American sanctions. Iran is expected to respond to the latest changes to the proposals this weekend.
Rubio nevertheless indicated that the U.S. remains prepared for the prospect of military escalation: “We can achieve military objectives if we seek to. He [Trump] hasn’t made a decision … if we needed to do something military, we would have the ability to do it … but we would prefer to do it peacefully,” the U.S.’s top diplomat added.
Iran is also preparing for the potential of renewed conflict, with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warning the U.S. and Israel not to restart strikes. Khamenei claimed that Iran’s armed forces would determine the time and conditions for ending any attacks, signaling a firm stance on defensive readiness.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that there would be no U.S. attack on Iran before the midterms, a calculation that is likely electoral in nature given that polling averages show that, as of Saturday October 31, over 55% of Americans oppose the conflict.
However, Democrat Senator Chris Murphy alleged that he had been briefed about the possibility of the Trump administration resuming attacks on Tehran after Tuesday’s vote, as reports suggest that Washington has warned its allies in the Gulf to prepare for that eventuality.