Donald Trump Tells Iran To Wave The White Flag Of Surrender

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran “should wave the white flag of surrender,” dismissing Tehran’s military capability and saying the United States had destroyed Iran’s army. Trump said Iran’s military had been reduced to firing “peashooters” and argued Tehran privately wanted to make a deal despite its public sabre-rattling. He also praised the US blockade of Iranian ports, saying, “It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade. And I think it’s working out very well,” as the Strait of Hormuz remained central to the standoff. In response to questions about ceasefire violations, Trump said, “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know ... They know what not to do.”

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that Trump was trying to force Iran to surrender by exerting economic pressure and exploiting internal divisions, according to statements published by Iranian media. Ghalibaf urged the people to “stay united,” stressing that it is the “best way” to confront what he called a “new enemy plot.” In the same reporting, Trump responded to a question about how long the blockade on Iran would last by saying, “The blockade is brilliant; now they have to surrender, that is all they have to do, just say: We surrendered.” The exchange underscored a dispute over whether the blockade and related pressure are meant to compel surrender or to weaken Iran from within.

As Washington prepared to escort ships through the Hormuz Strait, Folha de S.Paulo reported that Mohamad Bagher Ghalibaf said the continuity of the situation was “unsustainable for the US, while we have not even started yet.” The same report said the Freedom Project operation would be paused for a short period to see if a deal could be finalized and signed, while the blockade remained in effect. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation to protect merchant ships is temporary, that Washington is not seeking a confrontation, and that the truce with Iran remains in force. The stakes were framed in terms of shipping access and the ceasefire’s fragility, with the report adding that Hegseth said a military action is not ruled out and that any Iranian attack will provoke a devastating response.