US President Donald Trump ruled out any negotiated settlement with Iran, declaring that the United States would accept nothing short of unconditional surrender from Tehran.
The statement, the most uncompromising
public declaration of US war aims since the conflict began on February 28, effectively closes the door on diplomatic off-ramps that several countries had been quietly pursuing in recent days.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged earlier today that multiple countries had begun mediation efforts, saying Tehran’s response to them was clear: “The target of mediation should be those who started the fire by underestimating the Iranian people.”
Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender makes those mediation efforts significantly harder to sustain.
