“No decision yet”: Rubio downplays imminent Iran strike

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that President Donald Trump has not decided whether to launch a new military operation against Iran, insisting the administration still favours diplomacy.

“The president has not made any decision,” Rubio told reporters after a meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta. “If he had wanted to act that way, he would have done so weeks, even months ago.”

Rubio said talks through mediators including Qatar “have never stopped,” but declined to give a timeline. Washington remains open to a diplomatic solution, he added, as long as it does not endanger US national security or fail to address the core concerns that led to the conflict in the first place. He also accused Iran of directly attacking commercial ships.

Speculation mounts ahead of midterms

Trump has stepped up threats in recent weeks, and media reports suggest a possible military campaign after Tuesday’s midterm elections. Last week, the president quipped that the US might carry out “another little Epic Fury,” a reference to the offensive launched against Iran on February 28.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned Washington on Saturday against any new strikes.

Several G20 participants, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, cautioned against escalation. Germany’s foreign minister said on Friday that a return to fighting would not solve the problem “under any circumstances.”