Trump honours 13 US service members killed in West Asia conflict

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) honoured the thirteen US service members killed during the war with Iran. Remembering their sacrifice, US President Donald Trump, referring to Iran as “the number one state sponsor of terror”, reiterated that Tehran will “never have a nuclear weapon”.

“In Operation Epic Fury, we lost 13 wonderful souls, wonderful special people. These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon. Oh, and they won’t. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said during the Memorial Day remarks. “For the fate of freedom on this earth, we salute you like nobody has ever been saluted before,” Trump added.

Trump also asked the family of one fallen US service member, Capt. Ariana G. Savin to stand up and be recognised. He assured that US military engagement in Iran will end in victory and the service member’s death will not be in vain. “Ariana’s selfless gift will not be in vain. Our debt to you is everlasting, and it’s always going to end in victory. We’re having victories all over the place, more than we’ve had many, many decades,” he said.

President Donald Trump honors the 13 U.S. service members who lost their lives during Operation Epic Fury:

“These incredible men and women gave their lives to ensure that the world’s #1 state sponsor of terror will never have a nuclear weapon. They will never have a nuclear… pic.twitter.com/dHjr5Ktk6g

— Freedom 250 (@Freedom250) May 25, 2026

“In two wars recently, we’ve lost a total of 13 service members,” Trump said, referring to Venezuela and Iran. He touted US military operations in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro, in which he said that the US “lost no one”, calling it a “complete and total victory.”

Meanwhile, the US and Iran are engaged in efforts to resolve differences over the wording related to Tehran’s nuclear programme and the lifting of sanctions for the peace deal aimed at finalising a solution to the hostilities in West Asia, amid negotiations to make incremental progress in the deal, CNN reported, citing officials familiar with the matter.

According to CNN, citing US officials, the disagreements over “language on Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions” have slowed the finalisation of a broader understanding to finalise the deal between Tehran and Washington, though there is growing optimism that the gaps could be bridged soon.

A US official noted that the presence of an Iranian delegation in Qatar on Monday, including senior members of Tehran’s negotiating team, was viewed as a positive development, citing Qatar’s role as a mediator in facilitating dialogue, CNN reported.

The United States has been seeking firm assurances from Iran that it will dispose of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and will not pursue nuclear weapons capability. However, Iranian representatives have maintained that detailed discussions on the nuclear programme are not currently on the table and will be addressed in a subsequent round of negotiations. (ANI)