Trump rules out negotiations with Iran, threatens to target its military leaders

2026-03-08 - 10:28

Washington, March 8 (SANA) U.S. President Donald Trump said he is currently not interested in negotiating with Iran, suggesting that the United States may target senior Iranian military leaders if tensions continue to escalate. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One in remarks carried by Reuters, Trump said Sunday that the ongoing air campaign could render any negotiations “meaningless” if the Iranian leadership is eliminated and the Iranian military is destroyed. He added, “At some point, there may be no one left to say, ‘We surrender.’” Last Friday, Trump said that there would be no agreement with Tehran unless it surrendered unconditionally, indicating that the United States and its allies were prepared to support Iran economically if it accepted this, including installing what he described as a “competent and acceptable leader.” Since Feb. 28, the region has seen significant military escalation, with the United States and Israel launching continuous attacks on sites inside Iran, while Tehran has responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel, in addition to drone and missile attacks targeting Arab and regional countries.