Iran: Mediation Underway Trump: Demands Unconditional Surrender

Iran: Mediation Underway

    Trump: Demands Unconditional Surrender

M.A. Dworkin

     Middle East - Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian is pushing back on international mediation efforts, claiming that some countries have begun mediation efforts to end the war with the United States and Israel, but said any talks should address those who started the war. He said that any countries looking to broker a ceasefire should direct their pressure at the U.S. and Israel not Iran.

     “Some countries have begun mediation efforts,” said Mr. Pezeshkian. “Let’s be clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region yet we have no hesitation in defending our nation’s dignity and sovereignty… Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict.” 

     U.S. President Donald Trump has emphatically emphasized that there will be “no deal with Iran that doesn’t include  Unconditional Surrender… After that, and the selection of a great & acceptable leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE.” the U.S. President said on Truth Social.

     Trump has stated that he wants a say in whoever is chosen as the next leader of Iran. He said Khamenei’s son was unacceptable to lead Iran, describing Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the deceased Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a “lightweight… I have to be involved in the appointment,” Trump stated. “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”

Qatar Shoots Down Iranian Bombers 

     On the warfront, Qatar officials claim they shot down two Iranian bombers that were two minutes from striking the largest military base housing US troops in the Middle East, marking the first time that a Gulf country has shot down Iranian aircraft since the conflict began. 

     Iran’s Revolutionary Guard dispatched two Soviet-era Su-24 tactical bombers toward al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which typically houses 10,000 US service members, and Ras Laffan, a key natural gas processing facility and a bedrock of the Qatari community. The Iranian jets were two minutes away from their targets when the planes were visually identified and photographed carrying bombs and guided munitions. 

     The Qataris issued a warning over radio but received no response from the jets, which had switched to a flying altitude of 80 feet to evade radar detection. The aircraft were immediately classified as hostile. Qatar then dispatched its warplanes, and a Qatari F-15 fighter engaged the Iranian jets in aerial combat before downing them. The Iranian planes crashed into Qatari waters. A search is underway for the crews.

     Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and unmanned drones toward Arab states along the Persian Gulf in retaliation for US and Israeli airstrikes on the country. But Iran’s daring operation over Qatar marked the first time it had used manned aircraft to target a neighboring country since Khamenei was killed, on the first day of the war, in an Israeli airstrike on the Supreme Leaders compound. It also marked the first time the Qatari air force has engaged in air-to-air combat.

     Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Thani described the incident as “escalatory” and one that indicates “no genuine desire” by Iran to deescalate or find a resolution.

     “Rather, it seeks to inflict harm on its neighbors and drag them into a war that is not theirs,” Al Thani said.

     Oil Tankers in Strait of Hormuz

     In the Strait of Hormuz, tanker traffic has slowed sharply, after attacks by Iran on oil tankers, along with the reality of soaring war-risk insurance costs that are taking hold on commercial vessels traveling through the Straits. The combination is raising pressure on global energy markets and Gulf oil producers that rely on the narrow corridor for oil and liquefied natural gas exports.

     President Trump and the U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright have stated that the U.S. Navy could begin escorting commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as reasonable” supporting Trump’s public statements that the United States is prepared to protect energy shipments through the strategic waterway. But currently, no convoy mission has yet to be launched.

     “As soon as it’s reasonable to do it, we’ll escort ships through the Straits and get energy moving again,” Mr. Wright said.

           Russia in the War 

     In what is being called a tit-for-tat measure by Russia, for the U.S. providing assistance to Ukraine on drone attacks inside Russia during the four-year Russia-Ukraine war, sources claim that Russia is providing intelligence to its ally Iran on the location of U.S. forces in the Middle East, which has amounted to a boost in Tehran’s missile launching and drone attack guidance on American bases and other targets in the region. Such intelligence assistance could help Iran locate American warships, radar or other communication systems, but there is no indication Moscow is helping in a hands-on way to direct Iranian missile and drone strikes.

     Despite Russia’s assistance, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Iranian ballistic missile launches have fallen by 90% since the first day of fighting. Drone attacks have decreased by roughly 83%. Over 60% of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers have been neutralized or destroyed. The sharp decline is attributed to the combined effects of the U.S. “Operation Fury” and Israeli actions, which have destroyed a significant portion of Iran’s operational capacity.