President Donald Trump dismissed a threat from a top Iranian official on Saturday night. He said he “couldn’t care less” after Ali Larijani claimed Trump “must pay the price” for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran. This exchange added a new layer to a conflict that has escalated across the Middle East since the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28.
In a phone interview with CBS News, Trump said of Larijani, “I have no idea what he’s talking about, who he is. I couldn’t care less,” and added that the Iranian official had “already been defeated.” Larijani, who is the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, had earlier posted that Trump must “pay the price” for the attacks on Iran.
Trump also stated that the U.S. campaign would continue. He repeated his demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” a phrase he used publicly the day before as he pressured Tehran to agree to an end to the fighting on terms set by Washington. According to Reuters, Trump wrote, “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” and emphasized that the United States wanted a role in determining Iran’s postwar leadership.
This exchange occurred as Iran’s political leaders tried to show both defiance and control. CBS reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a video statement to neighboring countries after Iranian retaliatory strikes.
He later clarified on social media that Iran had specifically targeted U.S. military bases and installations in the region, not friendly countries. In his follow-up post, Pezeshkian noted, “We have not attacked our friendly and neighboring countries. Rather, we have targeted U.S. military bases, facilities, and installations in the region.”
Trump took the opportunity to mock Tehran, telling CBS that Iran’s leaders had effectively surrendered to their neighbors. “He intended to take over the Middle East and he’s conceded and surrendered to all of those countries because of me,” Trump said, referring to Larijani.
He claimed that Iran’s missile, drone, naval, and air capabilities had been severely damaged. U.S. Central Command reported on Friday that at least 43 Iranian ships had been damaged or destroyed and that over 3,000 targets had been struck since the war began.
The war has also complicated diplomatic efforts and unsettled markets. Reuters reported that Trump’s demand for surrender came just as Iran’s president mentioned that unnamed countries had begun mediation efforts, marking one of the first public indications of a potential diplomatic channel. The report also stated that the conflict has disrupted energy supplies, pushed oil prices to their highest levels since 2023, and led to declines in U.S. and European stock indexes.
Fighting has continued on several fronts. Reuters reported that Israel launched new attacks on Iran and Lebanon on Friday while Iran fired missiles into Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. bases. A live report from Reuters on Sunday stated that Israel was still conducting attacks on Iran and that Trump believed the war could only end when Iran’s military and leaders were defeated.
For now, there is no indication that the aggressive rhetoric is subsiding. Trump claimed the United States is “winning at levels never seen before and quickly,” while senior officials in Tehran continue to vow retaliation. This leaves the war on a risky path, with both sides still speaking as if the next strike will determine the outcome.
