Trump Sees No Reason to Escalate Iran War as New Task Force Tightens Blockade

Trump said in an interview aired Sunday that he is not planning to ramp up the conflict with Iran. Asked on 60 Minutes whether he intended to intensify the war, he replied: 'Well, I'm not looking to. I don't think there's any reason to.' The president did, however, defend his decision to launch the conflict in late February, saying, 'I think, historically, this will be a very good decision,' while conceding, 'Is it a good decision for today and tomorrow? Maybe not.' He pointed to Iran's nuclear program as his main justification, saying he did 'what's right for our country.'

Trump also announced Sunday that Task Force Iron Gate was up and running. 'Task Force Iron Gate is in full force and effect in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Coupled with history's greatest Naval Blockade, very little gets into, or out of, Iran!' he wrote on Truth Social. U.S. Central Command rolled out the task force Saturday, describing it as an effort to extend the naval blockade to overland trade routes and stop military technology and illegal revenue from crossing Iranian borders, including through the Caspian Sea. It was unclear whether any military force would be used.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio poured cold water on hopes for a quick deal late Sunday. Speaking before flying to Paris for a G7 meeting, Rubio said the two sides are not 'at the verge of a breakthrough,' though he repeated that the president favors a diplomatic solution. 'Right now, it hasn't been very productive because the Iranian demands are simply not just unacceptable,' Rubio told reporters. He said he expects G7 allies to press him with plenty of questions about the conflict and what comes next.

Diplomacy gets a face-to-face moment Monday, when Trump meets Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House. Qatar has been a key mediator in the indirect U.S.-Iran talks aimed at ending the conflict. According to sources cited by Axios, Al Thani wants Trump to give diplomacy more time.