PARIS — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G-7 foreign ministers on Nov 10 that the United States would continue imposing “devastating” economic costs on Iran, saying Washington has options beyond war or accepting unacceptable Iranian demands.
Rubio made the comments during a meeting in Paris of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — as well as the European Union.
Four diplomats said Rubio used strong language to describe Iran’s authorities, with two saying he referred to them as “lunatics.” The diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, quoted Rubio as saying that Washington’s policy of tough economic sanctions was working and limiting Tehran’s ability to fund its regional activities and proxies.
“Rubio said that they will continue with (imposing) devastating economic operating costs on Iran,” one diplomat said.
Rubio’s remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump said he planned to hold off on new military strikes against Iran for the time being following appeals from regional countries, including Qatar’s prime minister. Trump also said he intends to maintain a naval blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
After meeting Trump, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, a key intermediary with Iran, made an unscheduled stop at the G-7 meeting in Paris. He met European ministers and Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister there.
According to two European diplomats, Sheikh Mohammed expressed cautious optimism after his talks in Washington that a diplomatic solution to the crisis remains possible, rather than further escalation of the conflict.
Some of Trump’s senior advisers, including Rubio, newly installed White House chief of staff Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, support maintaining heavy economic pressure on Iran, according to one diplomat. Vice-President J.D. Vance, who has blamed Republican losses in last week’s midterm elections on the Iran war, favours a deal with Iran, but Trump currently believes a tenable agreement is not possible.