Washington DC: The war between US-Israel and Iran entered its second week on Saturday. As neither side looks prepared to end the conflict, the claims, counter claims, and war rhetoric are flying thick and fast.
In his latest early morning (Washington DC time) assertion, American President Donald Trump claimed that Iran has “lost”, “surrendered to Middle East neighbours” and “apologised.”
Hours after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hinted at de-escalation on Saturday and apologised to its neighbouring countries, which are US allies, for retaliatory attacks after the February 28 killing of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a significant remark, Pezeshkian said that Iran’s armed forces have been instructed “not to attack or launch missiles at neighbouring countries unless attacked from there.”
Calling Iran’s neighbours its “brothers”, the President said, “We have no intention of attacking neighbouring countries.”
Trump pounced on Pezeshkian’s easing of stance and said that Iran’s “promise” of not “shooting” its neighbours was only made possible due to “relentless strikes” by the United States and Israel.
“Iran, which is being beat to HELL, has apologised and surrendered to its Middle East neighbours, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore. This promise was only made because of the relentless US and Israeli attack,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“They were looking to take over and rule the Middle East. It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries. They have said, ‘Thank you President Trump.’ I have said, ‘You’re welcome!’,” Trump continued.
“Iran is no longer the ‘Bully of the Middle East,’ they are, instead, ‘THE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,’ and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse! Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behaviour, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time,” Trump added.
Earlier on Saturday, responding to Trump’s pronouncement that there will be no deal with Iran except for “unconditional surrender”, President Pezeshkian said Iran will never capitulate.
He specified that Iran’s enemies “must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves”.
