Published July 22nd, 2026 - 09:35 GMT
ALBAWABA - In a statement to Southeast Asia ministers' meeting in Manila, Rubio stated that diplomacy was still an option for the U.S. but said that Iran are not taking peace talks seriously."The problem we are currently facing is that they are not taking the negotiations seriously," Rubio said regarding settling the war with Iran, According to the Trump administration, the war has cost the U.S. $37.5 billion though analysts, specifically Stephen Semler, puts the cost closer to $100 billion.While Rubio says he’s open to talks, Trump says he’s ‘not finished’ yet with Iran, stating: “If we left right now, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild,” he said. “We're not finished at all... we're not leaving right now.”As the U.S. finishes its 11th wave of strikes on Iran, and as the war nears the five-month mark with no end in sight, and as November legislative elections approach; the Trump administration is facing intense political pressure to end the war which has proven to be unpopular even with segments of his MAGA base.Marco Rubio on Iran:I just want to reiterate once again, the United States is always committed to diplomacy. We are open-minded and always willing to engage in negotiated settlements of differences, and that remains true in the case of Iran. Unfortunately, as of now,… pic.twitter.com/85DIKEsDrQ— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 22, 2026 An end to the conflict seems unlikely however, as Yemen’s Houthis have joined the fray by blocking the Bab Al-Mandeb strait on the Red Sea to all Saudi shipping; further stifling oil flow to the rest of the world.It is known that the more parties there are in a conflict, the harder it becomes to resolve; will the U.S. under Trump be able to please all sides and navigate its way to an end to the conflict, or will the conflict turn into a forever war, is yet to be seen.
