Rubio: Trump Has Not Decided on New Iran Strikes
The U.S. Secretary of State told G20 leaders in Atlanta that diplomacy remains the preferred path, though the White House has not ruled out military action.
By John Wisniewski ·
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Saturday that President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to resume strikes on Iran. Speaking at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Atlanta, Rubio indicated that Washington prefers a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Rubio described the Iranian leadership as a regime that has massacred its own people. He argued that possessing weapons of mass destruction would make the threat even more severe. Rubio said such an outcome will not happen as long as Trump remains in the White House. He identified Iran as the central source of instability in the Middle East, citing its support for militias in Lebanon and Iraq as well as the Houthis in Yemen.
The U.S. Secretary of State noted that Iran poses a fundamental threat due to its desire for nuclear weapons. He added that the country attacks Saudi Arabia via its backed groups. Rubio emphasized that the U.S. is confronting this threat directly.
Delegates from the 20 largest economies in the world failed to reach a consensus on several global security issues during the meeting. The most notable point of contention was the Russian war against Ukraine. Despite these disagreements, Rubio characterized the discussions on freedom of navigation, energy, and food security as productive. He identified Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and the Houthis in the Red Sea as the main challengers to global shipping routes.
When asked about international cooperation, Rubio said that many countries lack the ability to project power. He noted that the U.S. has asked allies to join Washington in protecting shipping interests, but cooperation has been limited so far. Officials cited greater cooperation on secondary sanctions against Iran rather than direct military contributions.
Rubio said the U.S. is currently fulfilling its security guarantees to Gulf allies. He pointed out that American forces are shooting down drones aimed at allied cargo ships almost daily. The U.S. maintains an extensive air defense presence in the region and provides equipment that Gulf nations use for their own defenses.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended the G20, but many other leaders declined to be photographed with him, leading to the cancellation of a group photo. Poland attended the summit as a guest, while South Africa, a member nation, was not invited due to its criticism of Israel and its prosecution of the Jewish state in international court.
Source: Baltimore Jewish Times
