Washington – One week after launching war with Israel against Iran, President Donald Trump declared on Friday that there will be no negotiated settlement with Tehran, only “unconditional surrender.”
In a social media post, Trump outlined his maximalist position, stating that only after Iran’s complete capitulation would the US and its allies work to rehabilitate the country.
“After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction,” Trump wrote, adding that they would work to boost Iran’s economy.
The statement follows Trump’s Thursday remarks to Reuters, in which he said he wants to be personally involved in choosing Iran’s next leader—a demand unprecedented in US foreign policy.
Ground Invasion ‘a Waste of Time’
In a separate telephone interview with NBC, Trump dismissed suggestions that US ground forces might be needed to achieve his objectives.
“It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose,” he said.
He characterized recent warnings from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—who suggested Iran was prepared for a US or Israeli ground invasion—as a “wasted comment.”
Trump indicated he is keen to see Iran’s leadership structure removed quickly. “We want to go in and clean out everything,” he said, adding that he had ideas for a new leader but declined to name anyone.
War Intensifies
Heavy attacks were reported in Tehran on Friday after Israel announced it was hitting “regime infrastructure” in a “new phase” of the war it launched with the US against Iran.
The violence has also spread beyond the Middle East. In the Indian Ocean, a US submarine sank an Iranian naval ship off the coast of Sri Lanka, marking a significant expansion of the conflict’s geographic scope.
The Week Ahead
As the war enters its second week, Trump’s rhetoric suggests no softening of US demands. The insistence on “unconditional surrender” and direct involvement in leadership selection represents a dramatic escalation in stated objectives—raising the stakes for Tehran and the entire region.
