U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran on Tuesday to “do the smart thing” and strike a deal, saying in the Oval Office that he did not want to kill more Iranians as a West Asia ceasefire teetered. He framed negotiation as the safer option and suggested Tehran was privately interested in making a deal despite public posturing.
“They should do the smart thing, because we don’t want to go in and kill people. Really don’t,” Mr. Trump told reporters, adding: “I don’t want to, it’s too tough.”
Trump dismissed Iran’s military capability, saying Tehran should “wave the white flag of surrender” but was too proud to do so. He claimed Iran’s forces had been reduced to firing “peashooters” and asserted that, beneath the sabre-rattling, Iranian leaders “want to make a deal.” “They play games, but let me just tell you, they want to make a deal. And who wouldn’t, when your military is totally gone?” he said.
He also praised the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in the region, saying the blockade was unassailable. “It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade. And I think it’s working out very well,” Mr. Trump said.
Asked what Iran would have to do to violate the ceasefire, he said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know … They know what not to do.” He repeated that Iran “should save the white flag of surrender” and added, “If this were a fight, they’d stop it.”
— Reuters, AFP
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/iran-israel-war-ceasefire-news-strait-of-hormuz-ships-attacks-trump-may-5-2026/article70941232.ece
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Publish Date: 2026-05-06 06:10:00
