Rubio says US strikes on Iran paused ‘for the time being’ in lieu of economic war

Published August 25, 2026 6:57pm ET | Updated August 25, 2026 6:57pm ET



Secretary of State Marco Rubio told his foreign counterparts this week that the United States plans to sideline military strikes on Iran in exchange for other forms of pressure, according to a report.

Rubio told U.S. allies that the plan for the Iran war is to refrain from striking Tehran “for the time being” and focus on the Treasury Department’s economic sanctions push, according to U.S. officials who spoke with Axios.

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