Donald Trump has called on Iran to accept an “unconditional surrender” as the United States and Israel continue military strikes against Iranian targets.
In a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said the conflict would only end once Iran surrenders completely. He also claimed that, after new leadership acceptable to the United States and its allies is chosen, efforts would begin to rebuild the country’s economy.
According to Trump, Iran could eventually become “economically bigger, better and stronger than ever before” once the current conflict is resolved and a new political leadership emerges.
The war is approaching its second week following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. However, it remains unclear who will lead the country next or under what conditions Washington might halt its military operations against Tehran.
Speaking to reporters, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration expects the military campaign to continue for several weeks. She indicated that current estimates suggest the conflict could last between four and six weeks.
Leavitt added that US forces were making progress toward their military objectives, including weakening Iran’s naval capabilities.
Although Trump has taken a firm stance against negotiations, he has avoided explicitly calling for regime change in Iran. Analysts say this may reflect caution about comparisons with earlier US military interventions in the Middle East, such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which Trump previously criticized before entering politics.
Nevertheless, the US president has hinted that Washington may seek influence over who replaces Khamenei. Earlier in the week, he told media outlet Axios that the United States could play a role in determining Iran’s future leadership.
Trump also rejected reports that Mojtaba Khamenei might succeed his father. Mojtaba is considered close to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which plays a major role in the country’s security and political structure.
Meanwhile, the conflict is increasingly drawing in other regional and international actors. Sources told the BBC’s US partner CBS News that Russia may have provided intelligence to Iran regarding the locations of US military assets in the Middle East, including warships and aircraft.
Russia has maintained close ties with Iran in recent years. Tehran has supplied Moscow with thousands of Shahed drones, which have been used during the war in Ukraine following the invasion ordered by Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin confirmed that Putin spoke by phone with Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, offering condolences for those killed during the recent strikes and calling for an immediate end to the hostilities through diplomacy.
Despite those calls for de-escalation, the fighting has expanded across the region. The Iran-aligned group Hezbollah has launched attacks against Israel, prompting Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including explosions reported in Beirut.
Iran’s retaliation has also included drone and missile strikes targeting areas hosting US military bases in several countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Incidents have also been reported in Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Elsewhere, the UK Ministry of Defence reported that a British military base in Cyprus was hit by a drone earlier in the week, highlighting how the conflict is increasingly affecting multiple countries across the Middle East.
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