Trump says Iran hasn't surrendered yet because 'nobody knows who is the leader'
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Trump assured allies that Iran was ready to surrender, but a day later, the country’s new supreme leader promised to continue the fight and open new fronts, reports Axios, citing three officials from G7 countries briefed on the content of the call.
Trump: 'I got rid of a cancer that was threatening us all'
During a virtual G7 meeting on Wednesday morning, Trump boasted about the results of Operation Epic Fury and told allies that Iran was “about to surrender.” According to him, there were no living officials left in Tehran who could make such a decision.
“Nobody knows who is the leader, so there is no one that can announce surrender,” Trump said.
He called Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, a “lightweight” and previously said he would be unacceptable for the United States.
G7 presses Trump over the Strait of Hormuz
G7 leaders urged Trump to end the war as soon as possible — primarily because of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump assured them that the situation there was improving and that commercial vessels should resume operations. That same night, at least two tankers were set on fire off the coast of Iraq.
According to the sources, Trump was “ambiguous” about the goals and timeline for ending the war. Some participants left the call with the impression that he wanted the conflict to end — others felt the opposite.
Trump noted that the main thing for him right now is timing, adding that "we need to finish the job" to avoid another war with Iran in five years. He did not name specific dates.
Russia gains on oil — and gets sanctions relief
Due to rising oil prices, Russia, as a major producer, could gain financially from the crisis. The leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom, and France urged Trump not to allow Moscow to exploit the situation or receive sanctions relief.
However, the US Treasury Department announced a partial lifting of sanctions on Russian oil — despite objections from the three European states. The measure applies only to oil already in transit and only if it has no connection to Iran. The relief will remain in effect for one month.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stressed that the Russian government would not gain significant benefits from this decision.
A separate incident involved UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. At first, he refused the United States permission to use British bases for strikes on Iran. After Iran began attacking Gulf countries, Starmer changed his position and offered access for “defensive” strikes.
Trump responded publicly — in front of the other G7 leaders. “You should have proposed it before the war — now it is too late,” he said.
