Trump says Iran should ‘surrender’, claims new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei may not be alive
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump reiterated his call for Iran to “surrender” and made fresh claims about the status of the country’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
He succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died in a strike on February 28, when a broader operation began targeting Iran’s military and political establishment amid growing concerns over its nuclear enrichment program.
Trump’s statements on Iran and Mojtaba Khamenei
During the interview, Trump said, “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender." He added, “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him.”
Trump also said Iran has been seeking negotiations to end the war, “Iran wants to make a deal, and I don’t want to make it because the terms aren’t good enough yet”. The president declined to specify what those terms would be.
When asked what the terms of a potential deal to end the war would be, the president further declined to provide details, responding, “I don’t want to say that to you.” However, he said that any agreement would include a commitment from Iran to completely abandon its nuclear ambitions.
The president further said that US strikes on Kharg Island on Saturday “totally demolished” most of the island and added that “we may hit it a few more times just for fun.”
Trump also criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying he was “far more difficult to make a deal with” than Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding efforts to end the war in Ukraine. His remarks follow criticism from global leaders after the US moved to ease sanctions on Russian oil to help mitigate rising global oil prices.
Defense claims on Mojtaba Khamenei and regional attacks by Iran
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Mojtaba was “wounded and likely disfigured” and questioned the authenticity of his written statement. Hegseth said, “Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father: dead; he’s scared, he’s injured, he’s on the run, and he lacks legitimacy.”
Despite speculation about his condition, Mojtaba released a written statement in which he vowed to continue blocking the Strait of Hormuz and attacking US allies in the region.
Trump said that US allies in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, “have been terrific” and added that “they got shot at unnecessarily.” He said Iran’s attacks on other countries in the region were “the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing.”
Trump also declined to say whether there was a specific Iranian leader he would prefer to see take over as supreme leader. “We have people that are living that would be great leaders for the future of the country,” he said.
When asked if he is in contact with potential leaders, he responded, “I don’t want to say that. I don’t want to put them in jeopardy.”
