According to a report by Reuters on Monday August 17, 2026, US President Donald Trump on Monday called on Iran to surrender as efforts to resolve the ongoing war remained stalled, while also issuing a stark warning to Oman over its involvement in talks concerning the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking by phone with a Fox News reporter, Trump said Tehran should abandon its resistance if it wants the conflict to end.
“They should put up the white flag of surrender,” Trump said.
The comments came as a 60-day period set out under a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran expired. The agreement had called for an immediate and permanent halt to military operations, but it later unraveled, with both sides effectively declaring the arrangement no longer in force.
Under the memorandum, Iran and the United States had agreed to negotiate a broader settlement covering issues including Tehran’s nuclear program. The two sides had been given up to 60 days to reach a final agreement, unless they mutually agreed to extend the period.
That deadline arrived Monday with no clear breakthrough.
Meanwhile, Oman and Iran have been holding separate discussions over the possibility of restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy route that handled roughly one-fifth of worldwide oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began in late February.
Trump sharply criticized any effort by Oman that he believes could obstruct US objectives in the waterway.
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Fox.
The dispute over the strait has contributed to higher fuel prices and increased pressure on the Trump administration as the war continues. The conflict is also unfolding ahead of the November US midterm elections, when control of Congress will be contested.
Trump, however, rejected claims that the approaching elections were shaping his Iran policy.
“Midterms have nothing to do with my thinking,” he said.
Earlier Monday, Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains his central objective. The president has repeatedly cited Tehran’s nuclear capabilities as one of the main reasons for the US military campaign.
The latest statements come as diplomatic efforts appear increasingly uncertain, with Washington demanding major concessions from Tehran while Iran continues to resist calls for unconditional surrender.
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