WASHINGTON, March 15 (ANI): US President Donald Trump has reportedly demanded that Iran “surrender,” stating that he has heard the nation’s new supreme leader is “not alive,” while dismissing the possibility of an immediate ceasefire in the escalating Middle East conflict.
In a wide-ranging 30-minute telephone interview with NBC News on Saturday, the American leader said that despite Tehran’s apparent interest in ending 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 about the specific requirements for a peace deal, the US commander-in-chief declined to provide details, 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 also cast doubt on the well-being of Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently assumed the role of supreme leader following the death of his father.
Referring to Khamenei’s absence from public view, Trump said, “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him.”
While acknowledging that reports of the leader’s death are currently “a rumor,” 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 similar sentiments on Friday, suggesting that the younger Khamenei was “wounded and likely disfigured” following recent military strikes.
Hegseth described 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 President also confirmed that US forces have carried out 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,” Trump 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 United States has already “knocked out most of their missiles” and “knocked out most of their drones,” largely destroying Iran’s domestic manufacturing capacity.
To address rising global oil prices, he said he is coordinating with an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
He called on “numerous countries that are affected by the thuggery of Iran” to deploy warships to the vital waterway, specifically mentioning the United Kingdom, China, France, Japan, and South Korea.
Addressing domestic concerns over fuel costs, which have risen significantly since the conflict began, the President said he is “not concerned at all” about the impact on upcoming elections.
He predicted that prices would eventually fall to record lows, stating that the market is simply “clogged up a little bit” but will be “unclogged very soon.”
Trump also used the interview to criticize 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 assist the United States 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 noncommittal.
He remarked that “Russia is perhaps giving information, perhaps they’re not,” while noting that the United States provides its own intelligence to Ukraine as part of efforts to facilitate peace.
The US President maintained that his current military and diplomatic strategy is focused on regional security.
He said his sole objective is to “make sure that Iran can never be the bully of the Middle East again.” (ANI)
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