US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran surrender, using some of his strongest language yet as a 60-day negotiating period under a US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MoU) expired on Monday without a final peace agreement.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said Iran should “put up the white flag of surrender” if it wants the war with the United States to end. His comments came as diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran remained stalled.
What was the MoU?
The MoU, signed in June at Versailles, was intended to establish a temporary halt to hostilities and create a framework for broader negotiations. It included a 60-day period for the two sides to work towards a more comprehensive agreement, including discussions over Iran's nuclear programme.
However, the arrangement quickly deteriorated. The two sides accused each other of violating its terms, while disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz, the US blockade of Iranian ports and Iran's nuclear programme prevented the negotiations from producing a final deal.
Strait of Hormuz becomes major obstacle
One of the biggest disputes is control and access to the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies passed before the conflict.
Iran wants guarantees over its role in managing the waterway and has demanded that the US end its blockade and withdraw its military forces. Washington has rejected those demands, while commercial shipping through the strait has slowed dramatically.
Iran and Oman have separately been negotiating arrangements aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the strait. Oman has traditionally played an important mediating role between Iran and the United States.
Trump, however, warned that he could take military action against Oman if it interferes with US efforts concerning the strait, further raising tensions in the region.
Trump says nuclear weapons remain his priority
Trump has repeatedly said his main objective is preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He told Fox News that he was not working toward a specific deadline for a deal and insisted that he was “not in a hurry.” He also rejected suggestions that the upcoming US midterm elections were influencing his approach to the war.
At the same time, Trump claimed that his administration has established a direct backchannel with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC has rejected Trump's claim, describing reports of such contacts as false.
Iran threatens further escalation
Iran has warned that if diplomacy fails, it could adopt a more offensive military posture in the Strait of Hormuz, including attempts to break the US naval blockade. Tehran continues to insist that the US must end its military campaign and lift the blockade before a lasting agreement can be reached.
The impasse has also affected global energy markets. Oil prices have remained elevated amid concerns that further fighting or disruption of the Strait of Hormuz could severely affect international supplies.
What happens next?
With the 60-day MoU deadline now expired, there is no permanent peace agreement between Washington and Tehran. Diplomacy has not completely ended, but the two sides remain far apart on several fundamental issues.
The immediate danger is that the collapse of the negotiating timetable could lead to renewed military escalation, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, continued mediation by Oman and other countries could provide another opportunity for negotiations.
For now, Trump's demand for Iran's surrender, Iran's refusal to accept Washington's terms and the dispute over the strategic waterway have left the region facing another highly uncertain phase of the conflict.