Trump Calls on Iran to Raise ‘White Flag’ as US-Iran Talks Stall
US President Donald Trump has urged Iran to “put up the white flag of surrender” as the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tehran expired amid stalled efforts to end the conflict.
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Trump told Fox News that his administration was in talks with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), although the organization has denied holding such discussions.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei rejected the significance of the MoU’s expiration, saying what he described as serious US violations had made the deadline “entirely moot.” He also warned that Iranian forces were prepared to respond if the country came under attack.
The June agreement expired as negotiations between the two sides remained deadlocked. Meanwhile, senior IRGC commander Brigadier General Yadollah Javani said Iran’s defensive strategy could shift toward an offensive posture under a new policy of “maximum deterrence.”
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US Faces Difficult Choices Over Strait of Hormuz
Analysts say Washington’s options for further military escalation against Iran may be increasingly limited. Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said expanding the US blockade of Iranian ports could expose American forces to greater risks.
Clark argued that air power alone would not be enough to achieve a decisive outcome and suggested that Washington could eventually consider using naval and air forces to protect commercial vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
He noted that the US has so far avoided directly using warships to escort commercial shipping through the strategic waterway, warning that further escalation could create risks similar to those seen during the Tanker War of the 1980s.
According to Clark, another possible step could involve limited ship escorts designed to demonstrate that Iran does not have complete control over the strait. However, he said the situation could ultimately require a political compromise over access to the waterway.
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The standoff continues as both Washington and Tehran face pressure to find a way forward while tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz remain high.