U.S. President Donald Trump declared he is not interested in negotiating with Iran, suggesting the ongoing war could only end once the country no longer possesses a functioning military or remaining leadership in power.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said that a decisive air campaign could render talks unnecessary if Iranian leaders were eliminated and its armed forces destroyed.
“At some point, I don't think there will be anybody left maybe to say 'We surrender,'” Reuters cited Trump saying, highlighting the stark approach being taken by Washington.
The conflict entered a second week as Israel and Iran traded multiple attacks. Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, issued a rare apology to neighbouring countries affected by Iranian actions, urging them not to join U.S.-Israeli strikes, while dismissing Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender as “a dream.”
He said Iran’s temporary leadership council had agreed to suspend attacks on nearby states unless strikes originated from their territory.
Trump, however, framed Pezeshkian’s apology as a form of surrender and warned the United States could escalate attacks further.
Amid apparent tension within Iran’s leadership over the president’s remarks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a televised address that any Revolutionary Guards laying down arms would not be harmed.
Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Ardashir Larijani, countered on state television that there was no internal rift over handling the war.
Saudi Arabia, while favouring a diplomatic resolution, signalled it could respond to continued Iranian attacks on its territory or energy infrastructure, according to four sources familiar with the matter.
Hours after Pezeshkian’s comments, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched drone strikes against U.S. forces at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. State media later reported attacks on an Israeli refinery and U.S. forces in Bahrain.
Rocket strikes were also reported near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and on Iranian fuel depots, including in Karaj west of Tehran. Air raid sirens were sounded in Haifa, Israel, though no major damage was immediately reported.
The conflict has rapidly spread across the region, with Israel warning Lebanon that it would pay a “very heavy price” if Hezbollah was not restrained.
Israeli airstrikes in Hezbollah-controlled southern Beirut reduced multiple buildings to rubble, with the Lebanese health ministry reporting 294 deaths from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since Monday.
Iranian casualties from U.S.-Israeli strikes have been reported at over 1,300 civilians, with thousands more wounded, according to Iran’s U.N. ambassador.
Iranian counterattacks have killed at least ten Israelis, while reports of captured U.S. soldiers were denied by U.S. Central Command, though six American service members have been killed, their remains returned to Delaware on Saturday.
The conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets, with Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar reducing oil and gas production.
The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, driving prices to multi-year highs and impacting international business and logistics.
Meanwhile, hardline clerics in Iran are pressing for the swift appointment of a new supreme leader, with reports indicating the 88-member Assembly of Experts may convene within 24 hours to make a selection, reflecting the profound political upheaval within Tehran.
The war shows no sign of abating, as both sides pursue increasingly aggressive military actions while the wider Middle East faces mounting instability and economic disruption. - March 8, 2026
