Rubio privately admits to G7: the Iran conflict will continue for "2 to 4 weeks"

Ask AI · Why did Rubio privately adjust the timeline estimate for the Iran conflict?

According to a report by Axios News, three people with knowledge of the matter said that U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, during a private discussion with the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) on the 27th, stated that U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran will still last “2 to 4 weeks.” This is the first time a senior U.S. official has clearly suggested that the duration of the conflict may extend beyond the “4 to 6 weeks” range that Trump had repeatedly mentioned.

During the meeting, Rubio revealed that the United States is nearing serious talks with Iran, while the U.S. government is also considering a tough approach involving the deployment of ground forces. The U.S. military is moving to send thousands more troops to the Middle East.

Rubio also said that, at present, both sides are communicating indirectly only through third-party mediators. Two Iranian officials want to hold negotiations with the United States, but they need approval from the top leadership. At the current time, there is still uncertainty on the U.S. side about “who truly makes the final decision in Tehran.”

He added that, because Iranian officials worry they could be precisely targeted and assassinated, they are moving away from communications devices such as mobile phones, which has slowed the pace of the negotiations.

It is worth noting that at a press conference held after the meeting ended, Rubio only said that the United States “expects the war to end within weeks rather than months,” but refused to provide a specific end date.

**This article is an exclusive Observer Network piece. It may not be reprinted without authorization.**