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 Iran’s military capability and saying Tehran “privately wants to make a deal despite its public sabre-rattling.” Trump said Iran’s military had been reduced to firing “peashooters,” and he added that “They play games, but let me just tell you, they want to make a deal.” In the same remarks, Trump praised the US blockade of Iranian ports in the region, saying “It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade.” The comments came as the US and Iran exchanged fire in the Gulf while they wrestled for control of the Strait of Hormuz, with the ceasefire described as still in effect.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a US operation to protect commercial ships from Iran in the Strait of Hormuz was temporary and that “The ceasefire is not over,” adding, “We said we would defend and defend aggressively, and we absolutely have.” Hegseth described the new operation, called Project Freedom, as “defensive in nature, focused in scope and temporary in duration,” with “one mission, protecting innocent commercial shipping from Iranian aggression.” In response to a question about what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, 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 Trump was trying to force Iran to surrender by applying economic pressure and exploiting internal divisions, according to statements published by Iranian media.

The exchange of threats continued as the US prepared to escort ships through the Hormuz Strait, described as the maritime passage through which about a fifth of the world’s traded oil flowed before the war. Folha de S.Paulo reported that Trump said the operation to reopen the Hormuz Strait, nicknamed the Freedom Project by the US, would be paused for a short period to see if a deal with Iran could be finalized and signed, while the blockade remained in effect. The same report said the exchange of threats continued later via Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which warned that “the only safe passage is the corridor previously announced by Iran” and that any deviation “will result in a firm response.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the Trump administration’s message during a White House press briefing, saying “The time for Iran to make a sensible choice has come,” while also asserting that “the offensive phase of the conflict had already ended.”