BEIRUT/WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” on Friday, a dramatic escalation of his demands a week into the war he launched alongside Israel. Trump made the remarks on social media just hours after Iran’s president announced that unspecified countries had begun mediation efforts in one of the first signals of any diplomatic initiative to end the conflict. “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Trump wrote.

Israeli warplanes bombed Beirut and Tehran as Iran launched more retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf countries on the seventh day of the war.

President Donald Trump said Friday that there would be no deal to end the U.S. war against Iran without an “unconditional surrender” by Iran.