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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a memorial ceremony in Tehran on June 4 marking the 36th anniversary of Ayatollah Khomeini’s death. / Source: Office of the Supreme Leader via AFP, Yonhap News

U.S. President Donald Trump issued an extraordinary ultimatum to Iran on June 17, warning that the U.S. knows the precise location of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”

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President Donald Trump departs the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on June 16. / Source: Reuters, Yonhap News

In a post on Truth Social, Trump declared, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He’s an easy target but will remain safe—for now. We are not removing him, at least not yet.”

Trump cautioned Tehran against attacking civilians or U.S. forces, adding, “Our patience is wearing thin.” He followed with a separate post in all caps: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

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President Trump (center) watches a military operation from the White House Situation Room in 2019, alongside then-Vice President Mike Pence and other top security officials. / Source: AP, Yonhap News

His remarks came amid heightened speculation that Trump is seriously considering direct U.S. military involvement in striking Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, particularly its fortified uranium enrichment site in Fordow.

According to Axios, citing former Trump administration officials, the president is actively weighing a strike on the Fordow nuclear facility. CNN and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported that Trump is reviewing multiple options, including direct military action. The WSJ noted that Trump recently convened a high-level national security meeting in the White House Situation Room after cutting short his participation at the G7 summit in Canada.

U.S. military movements support the reports: a third U.S. Navy destroyer has entered the eastern Mediterranean to bolster Israeli air defense, and a second aircraft carrier strike group is headed toward the Arabian Sea.

Fox News reported that Trump’s security team discussed the possibility of U.S. airstrikes and broader intervention, although no final decisions were made. Still, Trump reportedly emphasized that his objective was to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capability. In a CBS interview aboard Air Force One, he said he wanted “a real end,” not a temporary ceasefire.

Earlier, Reuters and AP revealed that Israel had informed the White House of plans to target both Khamenei and top IRGC generals during its June 13 airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. Trump reportedly rejected the plan, prompting its cancellation.

In another post, Trump claimed, “We now have total and complete control of Iranian airspace,” though U.S. media noted it was unclear whether he was referring to actual American assets or expanding U.S. involvement in Israeli operations.

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Satellite image shows damaged buildings at a nuclear technology center in Isfahan, Iran, following Israeli airstrikes, taken by Planet Labs PBC on June 16. / Source: Reuters, Yonhap News

Vice President J.D. Vance also weighed in, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “He [President Trump] may decide that further action is required to end Iran’s uranium enrichment. That decision is his alone.” Vance dismissed Iran’s claims that its nuclear program is peaceful.

According to U.S. officials cited by the WSJ, Israel’s strikes have had only limited success in damaging Iran’s deeply buried facilities—like Fordow, which lies beneath a mountain. Iranian officials reportedly believe only the U.S. possesses the weapons capable of destroying it.

Analysts suggest that if Trump orders a direct strike, the most likely scenario would involve the deployment of B-2 stealth bombers to drop GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs on Iran’s fortified sites. Alternatively, Trump could authorize the transfer of such munitions to Israeli forces to avoid direct U.S. military involvement—consistent with his longstanding reluctance to entangle American troops in foreign conflicts.