Trump's Shifting Demands Raise Fears of Prolonged Middle East War: "Iran Must Unconditionally Surrender"

President Donald Trump of the United States has heightened the possibility of a prolonged war by demanding "unconditional surrender" as a precondition for negotiations with Iran.

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

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On March 6 (local time), both The New York Times (NYT) and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the Trump administration’s ultimate objectives in the Iran conflict have been shifting frequently. The constantly changing stance of President Trump has fueled concerns that the war could be drawn out.

Initially, on the first day of the airstrikes against Iran, President Trump defined the US war objective as "protecting Americans by eliminating imminent threats from Iran, including its nuclear program." Regarding the Iranian regime, he urged the Iranian people to seize the US attack as an opportunity to overthrow the theocratic system.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio also clarified that the United States is focused on permanently destroying Iran’s nuclear program and preventing Iran from acquiring missile capabilities that could threaten the US and its allies. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated, "There will be no nation-building in Iran."

However, on March 5, President Trump revealed his intention to intervene in Iran’s future leadership. He stated that it would be unacceptable for Mojtaba, the second son of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, to be mentioned as the next leader, expressing a willingness to influence the succession process, as was done in Venezuela. At the same time, President Trump insisted on "unconditional surrender" as a negotiation condition, but said he does not insist that the next leader be a religious figure or that Iran become a democracy.

The New York Times pointed out that the Trump administration’s war objectives have frequently shifted since the outbreak of hostilities, to the extent that even his advisors are unable to keep up with the changes. The paper reported that President Trump’s demand for Iran’s unconditional surrender is unlikely to be realized, raising concerns about a prolonged war.

For now, the possibility of Iran unconditionally surrendering appears low. On March 7 (local time), Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a speech on Iranian state TV, sharply rejected the US demand for "unconditional surrender," stating, "The enemies will have to take their hope for the Iranian people’s surrender to the grave."

Amidst this situation, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt sought to tone down the rhetoric. She explained, "When it is determined that Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States and the objectives of Operation Grand Fury have been fully achieved, then-whether Iran declares it or not-Iran will be in a state of unconditional surrender."

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