Trump: US Communicating with Iran, Not Ready to Declare End of Military Operation

Trump Declines to Declare Victory, Reveals Continued Communication with Iran

In notable statements, US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he is not yet ready to declare the end of the military operation against Iran, despite previous assurances from the US administration about the destruction of the Islamic Republic's military capabilities.

Responding to reporters' questions about whether victory should be declared after destroying Iran's military capabilities, Trump stated: "I am not ready to declare it over yet." Addressing the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, he added: "Their military is defeated. But all it takes is a few people planting mines here and there, and they can cause a lot of havoc."

Call for Regional Nations to Participate in Protecting Navigation

The US President emphasized the need for regional countries to take responsibility for protecting their territories and waters, saying: "We need that – and I am asking these countries to protect their areas and their waters. They should help us." He affirmed that "the United States is communicating with Iran, but I believe Tehran is not ready yet."

Commenting on the strike that targeted a girls' school in the Minab region of southern Iran, which resulted in dozens of casualties, Trump said: "We don't know that, that's being investigated." Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani had previously announced the casualty toll, confirming that Iranian authorities would take measures to preserve their memory. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei also stated that the strike was carried out with an American "Tomahawk" missile.

Escalating Regional Tensions and Exchange of Strikes

The military operation launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, now in its third week, continues to inflict significant human and material losses. The confrontations have so far resulted in the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior commanders, with ongoing exchanges of missile and drone strikes on multiple fronts in the region.

In other developments, the Dubai government announced that relevant authorities are dealing with an incident resulting from a drone strike in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport. Missile shelling from Iran on Israel also resumed, with new attacks targeting areas in the Negev, the vicinity of Beersheba, and the Gaza envelope.

US President Donald Trump has maintained ambiguity regarding his country's stance on potential direct military involvement against Iran's allies in the region, particularly Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Ansar Allah group in Yemen. In a related context, oil prices rose by about 3% as Middle East conflict threats continue to loom over vital export facilities.

Trump launched a sharp attack on Israeli President Isaac Herzog, while simultaneously praising Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US President called on regional countries to participate in the military confrontation against Iran, considering the protection of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz a global economic interest that necessitates direct intervention.

Russia, through its Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, described Europe's reaction to the US-Israeli strikes against Iran as "reminiscent of absurdist theatre," noting their disregard for international law. In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed prospects for a settlement in the Middle East in a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan. The Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed that its armed forces possess the advanced capabilities necessary to counter any aerial attacks or aggressions.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed "the current situation in the Middle East" in a phone call with US President Donald Trump. Despite the extensive military strikes Iran has been subjected to, concerns are growing in Israel that the overthrow of the regime in Tehran is not an imminent or guaranteed scenario.