Trump Demands Iran's Surrender, Casts Doubt on New Leader's Survival

In a wide-ranging, 30-minute telephone interview with NBC News on Saturday, the American leader revealed that despite Tehran's apparent interest in ending the hostilities, he remains unsatisfied with the current conditions.

He asserted that "Iran wants to make a deal, and I don't want to make it because the terms aren't good enough yet," adding that any future agreement must be "very solid."

When questioned on the specific requirements for a peace deal, the US Commander-in-Chief remained tight-lipped, replying, "I don't want to say that to you."

He did, however, concede that a primary component would involve a total commitment from Tehran to completely abandon its nuclear ambitions.

The President cast significant doubt on the well-being of Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently assumed the role of supreme leader following the death of his father.

Remarking on Khamenei's absence from public view, he stated, "I don't know if he's even alive. So far, nobody's been able to show him."

While acknowledging the reports of the leader's death were currently "a rumour," Trump added, "I'm hearing he's not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that's surrender."

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth echoed these sentiments on Friday, suggesting that the younger Khamenei was "wounded and likely disfigured" following recent military strikes.

Hegseth characterised a recent written statement from the leader as "a weak one," claiming that the Iranian head of state is "scared," "injured," and "lacks legitimacy."

The American head of state also confirmed that US forces have conducted heavy strikes on Kharg Island, a strategic Iranian oil export hub.

He claimed the operation "totally demolished" the island, though he noted that energy infrastructure was preserved to avoid lengthy reconstruction efforts.

"We've totally decimated it," he said, before adding that "we may hit it a few more times just for fun."

Looking ahead, the US President predicted that the remaining Iranian military capabilities would be "totally decimated" within two days.

He claimed that the US has already successfully "knocked out most of their missiles" and "knocked out most of their drones," largely destroying their domestic manufacturing capacity.

To combat rising global oil prices, he announced he is coordinating with an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

He has called upon "numerous countries that are affected by the thuggery of Iran" to deploy warships to the vital waterway, specifically mentioning the UK, China, France, Japan, and South Korea.

Addressing domestic concerns over fuel costs, which have risen significantly since the conflict began, the President insisted he is "not concerned at all" about the impact on upcoming elections.

He predicted that prices would eventually drop to record lows, stating that the market is simply "clogged up a little bit" but will be "unclogged very soon."

The US leader also used the interview to criticise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing him as "far more difficult to make a deal with" than Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He dismissed Zelenskyy's offers to help the US with drone interception technology, stating that the "last person we need help from is Zelenskyy."

When asked about reports that Russia might be providing intelligence to Iran regarding the location of US forces, the President was non-committal.

He remarked that "Russia is perhaps giving information, perhaps they're not," while noting that the US provides its own intelligence to Ukraine as part of efforts to facilitate peace.

Ultimately, the US President maintained that his current military and diplomatic strategy is focused on regional security.

He stated that his sole objective is to "make sure that Iran can never be the bully of the Middle East again".

- ANI