Munich, Germany, 15 February (H.S.): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed on Saturday(February 14, 2026), during a Munich Security Conference interview that President Donald Trump favors diplomacy with Iran and stands ready to convene with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, eschewing such encounters as concessions while prioritizing deal-making to avert escalation.

Dual Tracks: Dialogue and Deterrence

I serve under a President willing to meet anybody, Rubio told Bloomberg, confident Trump would engage Khamenei tomorrow to resolve disputes, juxtaposed against Trump's February 13 Fort Bragg remarks deeming Iranian regime change the best thing, hinting at unnamed successors amid stalled nuclear parleys.

Naval Escalation and Past PrecedentsTrump ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford—the world's largest carrier—from the Caribbean to West Asia, joining USS Abraham Lincoln 500 km off Iran, fortifying deterrence post-protester crackdowns; Rubio defended presence against Tehran's base threats, vowing no nuclear weapon tolerance.

Netanyahu-Trump huddle this week synchronized maximum pressure—curbing China oil buys—to compel nuclear capitulation, as US preps weeks-long strikes akin to June 2025's Operation Midnight Hammer on Fordow, Natanz, Isfahan.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar