President claims US has ‘blown Iran off of the map’

2026-03-22 - 12:00

US President Donald Trump has stated that Iran is seeking to enter negotiations, but he has no intention of engaging in diplomatic talks. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared his military campaign had been completed “weeks ahead of schedule” and asserted that the United States had effectively eliminated Iran’s military capabilities. The president made sweeping claims about the scope of US military success, stating that Iran’s leadership, navy, and air force had been destroyed and that Tehran now possesses “absolutely no defense.” His remarks marked a sharp reversal from his statements just a day earlier, when he suggested Washington was open to talks with Iran but complained there was “nobody to talk to” following strikes he said had decimated the country’s leadership structure. Trump’s shifting position on negotiations reflects the fluid nature of the conflict. Earlier in the campaign, the president had indicated that Iran had reached out and he had agreed to potential talks, while also suggesting Tehran was “not ready” for serious negotiations. The current military campaign, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, has reportedly resulted in the deaths of 1,300 Iranians, including the country’s supreme leader. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has consistently rejected any suggestion that Tehran is seeking a way out of the conflict. He has stated that Iran “never asked for a ceasefire” and remains prepared to defend itself “as long as it takes.” Meanwhile, Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf nations hosting American military assets, causing casualties and infrastructure damage. The ongoing hostilities have also resulted in the deaths of 14 US service members since operations began.