19/06/2026
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19/06/2026
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WASHINGTON / TEHRAN, Jun 19: US President Donald Trump has said the conflict with Iran demonstrated that there were “no limits” to his power, while Iranian officials continued to insist that Washington remains Tehran’s main adversary despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
In an interview with Axios, Trump described the outcome of the Iran conflict and the subsequent agreement as a demonstration of US strength, claiming it represented Iran’s unconditional surrender and a major political victory for his administration.
Trump argued that prolonging the war could have caused severe global economic consequences, including a possible worldwide depression. He pointed to falling oil prices and stronger stock markets as signs that his decision to support an agreement aimed at ending the conflict was the correct one.
“I have one primary wish as president. I never want to be the late, great Herbert Hoover,” Trump said, referring to the US president associated with the Great Depression.
Trump also spoke about his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israel respected his leadership and would follow his direction. He claimed that without his support, “Israel would not exist today,” while adding that his relationship with Netanyahu was good but that he sometimes needed to keep him “a little bit sane.”
According to Axios, Trump framed power in terms of influence and submission, while dismissing criticism from Republican opponents who argued that the Iran agreement did not meet his earlier demands.
Axios also cited an upcoming book by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, which reportedly describes Trump’s views about presidential power and his comparisons with historical figures.
Iranian Officials Reject Idea of Rapprochement With US
Meanwhile, Iranian officials continued to stress that negotiations with Washington would not change Tehran’s view of the United States.
Mohammad-Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani, the Friday prayer leader in Karaj, said Iran would continue to regard the US as its main enemy even if talks move forward.
Hamedani said negotiations would not represent a change in Iran’s strategic position and insisted that Tehran would not make what he described as a strategic mistake by trusting Washington. He said any talks would be conducted from a position of strength and focused on defending Iran’s rights.
He also praised Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s message regarding the US memorandum, describing it as wise and timely while saying all sides were waiting to see whether the conditions of the agreement would be fulfilled.
In Sari, Friday prayer leader Mohammad-Bagher Mohammadi Laeini urged Iranian officials to follow what he called Khamenei’s original position on negotiations with Washington.
Laeini said Iran should not accept what he described as a humiliating compromise with the United States, arguing that Washington still did not understand Iran’s position.
“The Islamic Republic will not accept the disgrace of compromise with America,” he said, adding that Iran was “not a nation of compromise.”
The contrasting statements highlight the deep divide between Washington and Tehran, with Trump presenting the agreement as a sign of US dominance while Iranian leaders continue to frame negotiations as a tactical step rather than a shift in their long-standing opposition to the United States.