Trump rejects MoU extension as US claims control of Strait of Hormuz

Trump: Iran should surrender

US President Donald Trump said Iran should "put up the white flag of surrender." The remark came as a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran expired on Monday, after Trump rejected extending it.

At the same time, reports indicate the United States is claiming control of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically significant waterway separating Iran from Gulf states.

Context

The developments are being covered as part of a broader confrontation between the US and Iran, described by international media as the "Iran war." The expiry of the MoU, combined with Trump's blunt rhetoric, points to rising rather than easing tension between the two nations.

It is not yet publicly known how Iran will formally respond to the president's call for surrender, nor how the lapse of the MoU will affect relations between Washington and Tehran going forward. Details on how exactly the US intends to exercise, or is already exercising, the claimed control over the Strait of Hormuz have not been disclosed.

The situation continues to be closely followed by international media given the strait's regional significance and the ongoing military and diplomatic tension between the two countries. Coverage of the events is being updated as a developing story, reflecting the fluid nature of the situation.