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President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran and implied that the United States had the ability to target Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, echoing language historically used in wartime ultimatums.
In a separate post, Trump indicated that the U.S. knows Khamenei’s location and could act if provoked.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Trump wrote.
“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” he added.
Trump also alluded to American involvement in operations affecting Iranian airspace, stating in a previous post that “we” had secured control and that U.S. equipment contributed to achieving air dominance.
While attending the G7 summit in Canada, Trump reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons, calling the ongoing violence a tragic result of Tehran’s refusal to negotiate a new nuclear deal.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump wrote.
On Tuesday, the U.S. also closed its embassy in Israel as a precaution.
“The U.S. Embassy reminds U.S. citizens of the continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness – including knowing the location of the nearest shelter in the event of a red alert as security incidents, such as mortar, rocket, and missile fire, and unmanned aircraft system (UAS) intrusions, often take place without any warning. The security environment is complex and can change quickly,” the embassy wrote in a statement.
The embassy is closed from June 18 to 20, with the closure potentially extended. The U.S. State Department has also created a task force to assist Americans needing to leave the Middle East due to the recent conflict.