Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that back-channel discussions to halt the U.S.-Israel war with Iran show a little bit of movement.

However, Rubio heavily warned that the diplomatic window won’t be open forever, and Washington is keeping another option on the table.

The latest strategic signs are encouraging, but I’m not popping champagne yet, Rubio stated during the press briefing.

I don’t want to exaggerate it, but there’s been a little bit of movement, and that’s good, while stressing he doesn’t want to be overly optimistic.

Behind the scenes of this global crisis, Pakistan is again stepping directly into the middle of the conflict.

As Islamabad seeks to keep the discussions going, Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir is heading directly to Tehran.

He has been identified by top security sources as a major intermediary between Washington and Tehran for these critical consultations.

Rubio’s measured tone carries a stark red line regarding Iran’s efforts to impose what it terms a tolling system in the Strait of Hormuz.

Rubio called the notion a complete nonstarter, saying it would make future diplomacy difficult and would reach well beyond the region.

No one in the world is in favor of the tolling system, Rubio explicitly said, noting that it is completely unacceptable.

It would make a diplomatic deal entirely unfeasible if they were to continue to pursue that illegal blockade.

The small river transports almost a fifth of global oil exports, and disruptions have heavily unsettled markets and governments.

If Tehran refuses to reopen the route, the US and its partners can’t just sit around and hope for the best, Rubio added.

If Iran keeps digging in, Washington has to have a Plan B, the Secretary of State heavily warned.

However, just as the press conference concluded, a senior intelligence official leaked a classified satellite report to a small group of defense contractors in the hallway. What those real-time thermal images showed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard positioning along the rocky cliffs of the strait under the cover of darkness completely shattered the timeline for diplomacy…