Trump Demands 'Unconditional Surrender' as Iran Continues Strikes on Gulf States [U.S.–Iran War]

President of the United States Donald Trump is maintaining a hard-line stance, demanding “unconditional surrender” as a condition for talks with the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) and even raising the prospect of regime change. Iran, meanwhile, launched fresh missile and drone attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) just hours after saying it would halt strikes on Gulf states, further complicating the situation in the Middle East.
■ Trump: "Iran must unconditionally surrender"
On the 6th local time, Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social, "The only deal with Iran will be UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER."
He went on to post, "MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)." The phrase is a play on his signature political slogan, "Make America Great Again (MAGA)."
Trump also spoke bluntly about Iran’s future leadership structure. In an interview with Axios, he referred to reports that Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, is being discussed as successor, saying, "He is lightweight. A waste of time." Trump warned that if Iran installs a leader who continues Khamenei’s hard-line course, the United States will end up fighting another war within five years.
However, in an interview with Cable News Network (CNN), when asked whether it would be acceptable for Iran to again be led by a religious figure, he replied, "It depends on who it is. I don’t care if it’s a religious leader."
Observers note that by demanding "unconditional surrender" and signaling a willingness to interfere in Iran’s succession plans, Trump has made any mediation effort far more difficult.
■ Iran launches airstrikes right after saying it would halt attacks
Tensions in the Middle East are actually rising further, as missile strikes have continued even after Iran declared it would stop attacking Gulf states.
According to The Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP) and other outlets, an Iranian airstrike on the 7th in Manama, the capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain, sparked fires in homes and other buildings and caused property damage. The Bahraini Interior Ministry confirmed the damage.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran (IRGC) claimed it had targeted the U.S. Navy base in Juffair, Bahrain. It asserted that the base had been used to carry out attacks on desalination facilities inside Iran, and that the strike was a response.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) also came under attack. The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that it had intercepted Iranian missiles and drones over Dubai. In Dubai’s Al Barsha district, debris from an intercepted aerial object fell onto a vehicle, killing an Asian driver.
Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech on state television, "We will halt attacks as long as neighboring countries do not attack Iran," adding, "I personally apologize to neighboring countries that have suffered damage from Iran’s attacks." But strikes continued in the Gulf region immediately after his remarks, badly undermining the credibility of his statement.
Gulf states, for their part, appear determined to respond firmly. Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, foreign minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a recent phone call that "if attacks on Saudi territory or its energy infrastructure continue, we will have no choice but to retaliate." Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, also spoke with Trump by phone to discuss the heightened regional tensions following Iran’s airstrikes.
km@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-min Reporter