WASHINGTON—President Trump warned he is losing patience with Iran, calling for unconditional surrender and saying he wouldn’t target the country’s leader “for now,” as he escalated his rhetoric toward Tehran.

President Donald Trump warned Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that he is an "easy target" and that "our patience is wearing thin."

President Trump said early Tuesday morning that he wants "a real end" to Iran's nuclear problem, with Tehran "giving up entirely" its enrichment activities. He said he was not just working toward a ceasefire to end the war between Iran and Israel,

Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEA

On June 15, Trump rejected an Israeli plan to kill Ali Khamenei, a senior U.S. official told USA TODAY. The U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, confirmed that Israel was presented with an opportunity to kill Khamenei but Trump objected to the plan and steered it off.

Also in today’s newsletter, safety checks found ‘no major concerns’ on Air India 787 fleet, and EU spurns economic dialogue with China

Trump arrived at the White House early Tuesday at a moment of choosing in his presidency. Israel, with five days of missile strikes, has done considerable damage to Iran and believes it can now deal a permanent blow to Tehran’s nuclear program — particularly if it gets a little more help from the Republican president.

Markets are concerned about Iran's frequent threats to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, just as the US heads into peak summer demand season.