US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" as American and Israeli military strikes continue. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" He further claimed that after Iran selects "acceptable" new leadership, the US and allies would work to make the country "economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before."
With the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a week ago, Iran's future leadership remains uncertain. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that military operations are expected to last four to six weeks. She added that Trump does not want Iran led by "a radical terrorist or a regime that chants death to America," and that the administration is involved in discussions about who will lead Iran next.
Trump has indicated he expects to play a role in selecting Iran's next leader, calling the potential installation of Khamenei's son Mojtaba "unacceptable." He likened the situation to the US operation in Venezuela earlier this year, where the administration removed the country's leader and publicly backed a successor, with diplomatic relations restored last Thursday.
As the war enters its second week, regional retaliation has escalated. Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel, prompting Israeli strikes on Lebanon, including the capital Beirut. In response, Iran has conducted drone and missile strikes on US bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the UAE, Kuwait, and US-aligned states like Oman and Saudi Arabia. A British military base in Cyprus was also reportedly hit by a drone.
Reports suggest Russia has provided intelligence on US positions to Iran, according to sources including a senior American official. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian for the deaths in US-Israeli strikes and reiterated Russia's call for an immediate end to hostilities and a diplomatic resolution. The Kremlin stated it remains in dialogue with Iranian leadership but declined to comment on ongoing military cooperation.
Source: www.bbc.com