Trump: "I know the exact location of Iran's Supreme Leader… Surrender unconditionally" [Summary]

"We know the exact location where Iran's Supreme Leader is hiding"

U.S. military strengthens presence in the Middle East… Additional deployment of fighter jets and more

President Donald Trump announced that he is aware of the whereabouts of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and urged Iran to accept 'unconditional surrender.'

On the 17th (local time), ahead of a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, President Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social, "We know the exact location where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' of Iran is hiding," and added, "He is an easy target, but he is safe there. We will not eliminate him, at least for now."

He went on to say, "We do not want any missiles to be launched at civilians or U.S. troops," emphasizing, "Our patience has reached its limit." He then urged Iran: "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!"

The supreme leader mentioned by Trump refers to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (86), who stands at the pinnacle of Iran's theocratic system.

In a previous post, Trump claimed, "We now have complete control over Iran's airspace," adding, "Iran possessed excellent airspace tracking systems and various defense equipment, but such equipment cannot compare with those designed and manufactured in the United States."

As the conflict between the two countries intensified following Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear facilities on the 13th, President Trump interrupted his schedule for the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Canada from the 16th to 17th and convened a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC). He returned to The White House early that morning and presided over the NSC for over an hour in the afternoon.

According to CNN, citing two officials familiar with the matter, President Trump has become more positive about utilizing U.S. assets to attack Iran's nuclear facilities and has taken a negative stance toward diplomatic solutions.

Sources reported that while this shift signifies a significant change in Trump's way of thinking, diplomatic solutions remain open should Iran make considerable concessions. They said that discussions among Trump administration officials from last weekend to the 16th focused on seeking diplomatic solutions.

It was also noted that the U.S. military is strengthening its forces in the Middle East. Reuters, citing U.S. military officials, reported that the U.S. military has bolstered its military power in the Middle East by additionally deploying F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, and other military aircraft to the region.

Should the Trump administration shift its stance from merely supporting Israel’s defense to supporting offensive operations, it is expected to set a goal of preempting Iran's nuclear armament, an international security threat, not only in the Middle East but also worldwide.

Reported by Song-Ryul Lee, Hankyung.com journalist yisr0203@hankyung.com