US President Donald Trump does not want to resume the war with Iran "for now," as his administration maintains economic and military pressure on Tehran, according to a media report on Friday.
Citing a US official, The Washington Post reported that Trump has received several daily intelligence briefings since the midterm elections.
"It's become pretty clear that Trump does not want to go back to war for now," the official said.
The report said the administration had settled on a middle path of no new war, no talks and no lasting peace as the conflict entered its eighth month.
Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that he was done trying to reach a deal with Iran and had instructed Vice President JD Vance to focus on other issues.
"We're just keeping it the status quo," Trump told reporters Monday after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, however, rejected suggestions that the situation amounted to a stalemate.
"The pressure and the devastation that our economic campaign is having on the Iranian regime is working so well that the president really doesn't have any need to conduct major combat operations," Rubio said on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Paris.
Rubio also described Iran's demands as "absurd."
The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, prompting Tehran to respond with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
A memorandum of understanding signed in June to pave the way for a final peace deal later collapsed amid disagreements, including over navigation in the strait.
