Trump to Iranians: Raise the White Flag
Anticipating the imposition of a package of punitive measures that would leave the Iranian regime in unprecedented international isolation, alongside tightening the naval blockade on its ships and ports, US President Donald Trump called on Tehran, exhausted by the naval blockade, to “raise the white flag and surrender” yesterday.
In an indirect comment on the expiration of the 60-day deadline stipulated in the Islamabad memorandum, which ended yesterday without reaching a permanent agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Trump told Fox News: “I do not have a specific timeline, and I am in no hurry. Iran must raise the white flag of surrender.”
Trump affirmed the existence of a direct channel of communication with “Revolutionary Guard” officials, noting that they are skilled in negotiations and poker, but insisted they would still be defeated even as they draw their last breaths.
Amid a lack of progress in diplomatic efforts to end the war, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that “the main goal is, and will always remain, that Iran does not possess a nuclear weapon, in any way or in any form,” adding that “the midterm congressional elections have nothing to do with” his steps in the conflict that is causing inflation.
While not ruling out a return to the military option, Trump dismissed concerns raised by leaks about the US military’s weapons stockpiles, asserting that his country “still possesses large reserves of medium-level weapons, and what we have used is negligible.”
While Trump maintained that time is on his side, a senior source at Iran’s Supreme National Security Council told Al-Jarida that Tehran, in its response to Qatari and Pakistani mediators, refused to accept an extension of the ceasefire, as it considers the imposed naval blockade to be an act of war.
The source claimed that Washington is pumping approximately 20 million barrels of oil daily from its strategic reserves into the markets to control global energy prices resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab.
The Iranian official predicted that the Trump administration would be unable to sustain this situation for more than two weeks, given that US strategic reserves have fallen to their lowest historical levels. After that, prices would skyrocket, particularly with autumn and winter approaching, which would expose the administration to unprecedented domestic and international criticism, forcing it to accept a peace agreement or sign a comprehensive treaty as stipulated in the Islamabad memorandum.
With Tehran betting on two decisive weeks to win the confrontation that began last February, the source referred to a report submitted by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi regarding communications and the course of negotiations between Iran and Oman on one side, and Tehran and Washington on the other. He stated that all members of the “Supreme National Security Council” support rejecting the opening of “Hormuz” at any cost, unless the United States agrees to a permanent halt to the war and hostile acts against Iran and its regional allies.
He claimed that Tehran has sufficient reserves to meet its needs for more than six months, even if all border crossings are closed by the Americans. On the other hand, it has received assurances from two allied countries that they will provide all the assistance needed to withstand the pressure. The source mentioned that the Council would review a plan proposed by its new secretary, Mohsen Rezaee, aimed at breaking the US blockade and protecting Iranian ships at its upcoming meeting, even if this leads to a resumption of full-scale war with Washington.
Following the failure of efforts to extend a ceasefire between his country and Iran under an Islamabad memorandum of understanding, US President Donald Trump acknowledged the existence of a backchannel for communication between his administration and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), noting that he is in no hurry to reach an agreement with Tehran, which has renewed its call for the US to “raise the white flag” of surrender.
Trump told Fox News yesterday: “I don’t have a timeline on Iran,” adding that “the Iranian side is a good gambler, but it is breathing its last breaths.”
He stated that the upcoming US midterm elections do not affect his thinking regarding the conflict with Tehran, which has been unpopular in the United States due to its disruption of oil, gas, and fertilizer supplies and its contribution to price inflation.
As the US Treasury Department prepares to impose a package of sanctions it claims will isolate Iran unprecedentedly, Trump pointed out that the US naval blockade on Iranian ports and ships continues to exert new pressure on Tehran.
He dismissed concerns about the US military’s weapons stockpiles, affirming that the United States still possesses large reserves of medium-power weapons and that “what we have used is very little.”
Following remarks by his vice president, JD Vance, who stated that the current priority is lowering fuel prices and stabilizing fuel flows from the Gulf rather than addressing Iran’s nuclear program, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “The first goal, and it will always remain so, is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon in any form.”
Amid conflicting views within the Iranian regime regarding how to handle the diplomatic understanding and whether it is still in effect, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that the memorandum of understanding does not include any clause related to a “60-day deadline,” emphasizing that his country does not set its policies under pressure, threats, or deadlines, but rather bases all its decisions on an assessment of its interests and national security.
Baghaei considered that what the memorandum stipulated—a period of 60 days for talks on two axes, namely lifting sanctions and the nuclear file, which Trump had previously declared ended on July 8 after the IRGC resumed attacks in Hormuz—was merely a timeframe for negotiations. He noted that this period was extendable if no result was reached.
Baghaei added that what he described as a “blatant and widespread” violation of the memorandum by the United States prevented any talks from starting.
On another front, Reuters quoted a senior Iranian official as saying that his country would escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the region as a whole if diplomatic efforts with Washington fail, pointing to a shift in Iranian policy toward reliance on offense rather than defense. The official claimed that Tehran had set a deadline of a few weeks for the US to fully implement the memorandum of understanding, stating: “The Americans and countries in the region will be informed of the timeframe set by Iran through intermediaries.”
The official considered that pressuring the US or relying on intermediaries to reach a permanent agreement was not realistic, while affirming that Tehran would not wait indefinitely for Washington to continue the naval blockade. He announced that all Iranian institutions would be on high alert to escalate tensions in the event of diplomatic failure.
The memorandum, brokered by Pakistan and Qatar, set a 60-day deadline, extendable by mutual consent, for negotiations on a broader settlement that would include a cessation of the regional war, the nuclear program, sanctions, and navigation arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz. However, Tehran announced on July 15 that it did not consider itself bound by its provisions, following Washington’s reimposition of a naval blockade and the resumption of strikes.
Although the agreement is commonly referred to as a “60-day truce,” the text of the memorandum distinguishes between the cessation of military operations and the deadline for negotiations. Its first article stipulates the “immediate and permanent cessation of military operations,” while Article III sets a maximum 60-day period to reach a final agreement, with the possibility of extension upon mutual consent.
Amid uncertainty regarding the potential trajectory of the conflict, The New York Times quoted analysts who said that Washington and Tehran appear to be preparing for a prolonged campaign of economic attrition that could easily escalate into a new military confrontation.
Israeli officials have identified indicators suggesting that Iran’s hardline leadership is altering its perception of the war’s nature, preparing for the possibility of expanding the confrontation in response to intensified economic pressure and the naval blockade. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal, citing informed officials, reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) exploited the calm created by the memorandum to lay the groundwork with its allied groups across the region, in order to intensify attacks when necessary.
