Compiled from news service reports
Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected a call by U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran to unconditionally surrender amid the regime’s aerial war with Israel.
Earlier this week, Trump called for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran’s regime, led by Khamenei, as Israel launched a number of airstrikes against Iranian infrastructure, including its nuclear facilities, in the past five days. Iran has responded by firing hundreds of missiles at Israel.
“The U.S. president threatens us. With his absurd rhetoric, he demands that the Iranian people surrender to him. They should make threats against those who are afraid of being threatened. The Iranian nation isn’t frightened by such threats,” Khamenei wrote in a post on X on Wednesday morning in response to Trump.
Iranian state television also aired footage of Khamenei giving a statement that was read out by a TV anchor on Wednesday, including a warning to the United States that joining the Israeli strikes targeting his country will “result in irreparable damage for them.”
Khamenei’s remarks follow Trump’s post on Truth Social, in which the president wrote that the United States and Israel “know exactly where the so-called ‘supreme leader’ is hiding” before adding that “he is an easy target, but is safe there.”
“We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” the president added. “But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz wrote on X that “a tornado continues to hit Tehran” and that the Israeli Air Force has “now destroyed the Iranian regime’s Internal Security Headquarters,” according to a translation.
“As we promised — we will continue to harm symbols of government and strike at the ayatollah regime everywhere,” he wrote.
Trump urged Tehran’s 10 million or so residents to evacuate earlier this week as he also departed early from the G7 summit in Canada to return to Washington. While the president initially distanced the United States from the Israeli strikes on Iran, he has suggested greater U.S. involvement in the conflict in multiple social media posts and remarks to reporters.
The Iranian regime, Trump has also said, cannot have possession of a nuclear weapon, coming after Israeli officials have said that their intelligence shows that Tehran was enriching uranium to produce multiple nuclear weapons. Iran was given a deadline that expired last week to come to the negotiating table over its nuclear program.
But Iranian officials have warned that the United States shouldn’t get involved because it could lead to a significant conflict in the Middle East, saying that Iran has “very good relations” with nearby Arab countries.
“Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Al Jazeera English on Wednesday.
Iran has “very good relations with Arab countries, and they are very cognizant of the fact that Israel has been trying to drag others into the war,” he said.
“We are sure our Arab countries hosting U.S. bases would not allow their territory to be used against their Muslim neighbors.”
Inside the United States, Trump also faces divisions among Republicans. Some GOP lawmakers and conservative commentators have urged Trump not to get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict, while others have pushed for the United States to strike Iran.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has been making the case that this is Trump’s moment to deliver a decisive blow against Iran. Graham called for Trump to “go all-in” in backing Israel and destroying Iran’s nuclear program during a Sunday CBS News interview.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said in a post on X that the United States should not get involved, writing that “foreign wars/intervention/regime change put America last, kill innocent people, are making us broke, and will ultimately lead to our destruction.”
Trump Asked If Iran Is Targeting US Assets
A reporter asked Trump if he has intelligence that Iran is targeting U.S. assets.
Midway through the question, Trump responded, “I have intelligence.”
After the reporter finished the question, Trump said, “We’re doing very well.”
Ambassador Huckabee Informs Americans Who Seek to Leave Israel
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee posted on X that the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem is working on evacuation flights and cruise departures.
Americans wishing to leave Israel need to enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, he said.
Pope: ‘We Must Not Get Used to War’
In his first remarks on the conflict between Israel and Iran, Pope Leo XIV said: “We must not get used to war. On the contrary, we must reject as a temptation the allure of powerful and sophisticated weapons.”
The pontiff, addressing people in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, said that “the heart of the church is torn by the cries rising from places of war, especially Ukraine, Iran, Israel and Gaza” and that there should be peace “in the name of human dignity and international law.”
Trump Responds to Iran Saying It Won’t Surrender: ‘Good Luck’
Trump had a simple response to Khamenei saying his country won’t surrender.
“I say good luck,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday morning.
When asked when his patience runs out with Iran, he said, “It’s already run out. That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing.”
Hegseth: Iran ‘Should Have Made a Deal’
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Israel’s ongoing campaign against Iran demonstrated to Tehran that Trump would hold the regime to account.
Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday morning, Hegseth noted that Trump had given Iran 60 days to reach a deal over the future of its nuclear program.
No deal was reached during that time, and Israel attacked on the 61st day, on June 12.
“We know right now that Iran understands exactly what the president is saying,” Hegseth said. “They had an opportunity to make a deal. They should have made a deal. President Trump’s word means something. The world understands that.”
Trump Mum on Whether US Will Join Israel’s Attacks on Iran
When asked by a reporter whether the United States is moving closer to striking Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, Trump demurred.
“You don’t seriously think I’m going to answer that question,” he said. “I may do it, I may not do it, nobody knows what I’m going to do. … Iran’s got a lot of trouble and they want to negotiate.”
He said that it is not “too late” for Iran to give up its nuclear program.
Trump, who said he talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu every day, told his counterpart to “keep going” when it comes to Iran.
He added that Netanyahu has been “very unfairly treated by his country.”
“He’s a wartime president and he’s going through this nonsense,” Trump said.
He said he hasn’t given Netanyahu any indication that the United States seeks to provide greater aid to Israel.
“So far, he’s done a good job,” he said of Netanyahu.
Trump struck a confident tone Wednesday, saying that Iran is no longer a schoolyard bully.
“Look, nothing’s finished until it’s finished. War’s very complex, a lot of bad things can happen … I wouldn’t say we won anything yet. I would say that we sure as hell made a lot of progress,” he said at the White House, as workers prepared to plant flag poles to display the American flag.
“If you go back 15 years, I was saying we cannot let Iran get a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Trump noted that, for the past 40 years, Iran has been saying “death to America.”
Jack Phillips, Jackson Richman, Andrew Thornebrooke and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
