Trump Seeks to End War, but Special Envoy Confused and Uncertain

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, expressed confusion when explaining how American military operations against Iran would end. Tensions in the Middle East continue to intensify.

“I don’t know. What I do know is that President Donald Trump is not someone to be challenged,” Witkoff said in an interview on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 with CNBC when asked about the possible conclusion of the military operations.

The statement came after the United States and Israel launched strikes against numerous targets in Iran on 28 February, including the capital Tehran. The strikes reportedly caused damage to several facilities and resulted in civilian casualties.

Iran subsequently retaliated by launching attacks on Israeli territory and American military facilities in the Middle East region.

Washington and Tel Aviv initially stated that the strikes, which they described as a “preventative” measure, were necessary to counter threats they assessed as stemming from Iran’s nuclear programme. However, in subsequent developments, both nations also expressed a desire to see a change of power in Iran.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported killed on the first day of the military operations. The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran subsequently declared a 40-day national mourning period.

This conflict escalation triggered reactions from several countries, including Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin characterised Khamenei’s killing as a cynical violation of international law. According to the Kremlin, the action could potentially worsen regional stability, which is already fraught with tension.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned the military operations conducted by the United States and Israel. Moscow urged all parties to immediately undertake de-escalation and cease hostile actions.