WEB DESK: Donald Trump said on Saturday that Iran appears willing to negotiate a ceasefire despite continuing American strikes, including attacks targeting Kharg Island, but he dismissed the proposed conditions as inadequate.
In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump stated that Tehran is seeking an agreement but the terms offered so far do not meet US expectations. He also claimed that American strikes had caused significant destruction on Kharg Island and suggested additional attacks could still occur.
Trump also questioned the status of Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, saying there was uncertainty about whether he is still alive. He noted that no public appearance had confirmed the leader’s condition and suggested that if he is alive, he should make a decision that would benefit the country, including the possibility of surrender.
When asked about Iran’s political future, Trump said there are individuals who could potentially lead the country in the future. However, he declined to reveal whether Washington is communicating with any of them, saying he did not want to endanger those people.
Meanwhile, the United States Department of Defense is reportedly sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East as tensions rise around the Strait of Hormuz.
According to reports, the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, carrying around 2,500 sailors and Marines along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is being deployed to the region after completing operations in the Philippine Sea. Additional naval vessels are also expected to join the deployment.
Iran on Saturday urged civilians in the United Arab Emirates to avoid ports, docks and locations it described as “American hideouts,” claiming US forces had launched attacks on Iran from such sites.
The UAE, however, denied the allegation that strikes on Kharg Island overnight had been carried out from its territory.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any site linked to the United States could be considered a legitimate target and called on American companies to leave the region.
Separately, Iranian media reported that a joint US-Israeli strike on an industrial facility in Isfahan killed at least 15 people. Multiple other locations, including an IRGC airbase, were also hit during the strikes.
The UAE also rejected accusations from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi after Tehran’s recent attack.
Anwar Gargash, adviser to the UAE president, said the country maintains its right to self-defense while continuing to push for de-escalation in the region. In a post on X, he added that the UAE had made sincere efforts to mediate between Washington and Tehran to prevent the conflict.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed Iran had destroyed several US military assets, including radars, drones, tankers and bases, and mocked US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, daring Washington to send ground troops.
