Trump Demands Iran’s Surrender and Threatens Oman Amid Hormuz Dispute
Escalating Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
Trump's Ultimatum to Iran
WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran should surrender to end a war with the U.S. as talks between the countries remained stalled.
"They should put up the white flag of surrender," Trump told a Fox News reporter during a phone interview.
Breakdown of the Interim Deal
Details of the Memorandum of Understanding
An interim deal agreed to in June declared an "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts", but quickly unraveled, with Trump saying it was "over" on July 7 and Iran's foreign ministry declaring it "suspended" a week later.
Under that memorandum of understanding, Iran and the U.S. committed to negotiating a final deal — covering broader issues such as the fate of Iran's nuclear programme — in a maximum of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent. Monday marks 60 days since the MOU was signed.
Oman and Iran's Diplomatic Efforts
Talks to Restore Commercial Shipping
Separately, Oman and Iran have been in talks to try to reach an agreement to restore commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which carried 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February.
Trump's Threat Against Oman
"If Oman gets in the way, we'll bomb the shit out of them," Trump told Fox.
Domestic and International Implications
Impact on Fuel Prices and U.S. Politics
The dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz has driven up fuel prices and put pressure on Trump to end a war that is unpopular at home ahead of the November midterm elections that will decide control of the U.S. Congress.
Trump told Fox News that the midterms were not impacting his strategy on Iran.
"Midterms have nothing to do with my thinking," he said.
Trump's Stance on Iran's Nuclear Program
Earlier on Monday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: "The number one Goal is, and always will be, that Iran cannot have, in any way, shape, or form, a Nuclear Weapon," repeating one of his stated rationales for the war.
(Reporting by Katharine Jackson; editing by Michelle Nichols and Mark Porter)
